Three Musketeers The Legend FFVs
by gdedwards11
Summary: Our four sword fighters are at it again


Page **122** of **122**

 **The Three musketeers**

And – Porthos - royal

Screenplay - WGAW Registry:

Original Screenplay written by Geoffrey D. Edwards

Under no circumstances will we/I release this screenplay without the express permission of the owner of this Copywrite.

D'Artagnan, Athos, Aramis and Porthos

 **Begin Lines:**

 **Everyone has a French accent:**

 **EXT: Misc. Barn – European – sunny – warm – quaint – green**

 **INT: Misc barn – shadows of light**

A noise in one of the old stalls inside the barn. The sound of two people fooling around.  
(Camera slowly moves to where the two people are having a roll in the hey)

 **PORTHOS AND THE PRINCESS,** naked and making love. He is on top. They kiss,  
he puts his hands on her breasts. She has her hand on his bum. It's like two pigs in the squallier.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **His words muffled in her face**_ _ **  
**_(French accent) My love, I could be with you forever.

 **Princess** **  
** _ **She pulls back as if she were interested in what he just said**_ _ **  
**_Forever?

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Rethinks his comment**_ _ **  
**_Did I say… forever?

 **Princess** **  
**Yes, and if you know what's good for you, you would repeat it.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Thinks the better of it**_ _ **  
**_Yes, I guess I did say that.

 **Princess** **  
**Are you proposing marriage to me Porthos?

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_It is time for me to settle down. Yes, I believe I am.

 **Princess** **  
** _ **Solemn occasion**_ _ **  
**_I would marry you Porthos.

 **Porthos** **  
**You would. Marry a peasant like me?

 **Princess** **  
** _ **Sits up**_ _ **  
**_That is the problem is it not?

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_Yes, I cannot marry into royalty.

 **Princess** **  
** _ **Looks at him endearing**_ _ **  
**_There must be a way.

 **Porthos** **  
**I was hoping you would know one.

 **Princess** **  
**This has been a quandary for years. No one knows how to get around this. And the penalty  
is death for the peasant.

Suddenly a sound from another part of the barn. Porthos sits up  
with a start.

 **Princes Cont.** **  
**I knew someone would find out.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Pulls out his sword**_ _ **  
**_I would rather kill a man than let you go.

She pulls his face to hers.

 **Princess** **  
**No Porthos, I will not have your death on my hands because of this. You must run.

 **Porthos** **  
**Run, I do not run from any man.

 **Princess** **  
**…I know, but there is a time to fight and a time to run. This is time to…

Several men in royal kingdom garb come in.

 **ROYAL CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD LOU-ISE** **  
**Now we have you. Porthos, you are under arrest.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Getting dressed**_ _ **  
**_But Lou-ise, I thought you were my friend?

 **LOU-ISE** **  
**You know we have never been friends Porthos.  
 _ **CS**_ _ **  
**_Put him in shackles!

The men with Lou-ise apprehend Porthos and attempt to put his arms behind his back.  
But Porthos is strong, the men can't move his arms.

 **Princess** **  
**This is ridicules, let him go.

 **Lou-ise** **  
**You know the rules princess. This man must be apprehended and guillotined.

 **Porthos** **  
**Guillotined?

He throws one of the men off to the right, the other off to the left. Lou-ise pulls  
his sword but before he can pull it all the way out Porthos snap kicks him.  
Two other guards try to apprehend Porthos. The princess screams. Porthos  
punches one of the other men and throws another behind him with the man's momentum.  
Lou-ise and the other two have struggled to their feet. Lou-ise has his sword pulled.  
The other two men pull theirs.

Porthos, half dressed, pulls his sword. He duels with all three. They're no  
match for him. Though large and bumbling, he is an expert with the sword.  
He runs one of the men through and back hands the other. He duels with  
Lou-ise. Lou-ise ends up losing his sword. Porthos drives him back. One  
of the guards is coming back. Porthos knows he's there and before the  
man can run him through, he parries back, blocks the man's thrust and  
back kicks him. He is still driving Lou-ise back.

 **Princess** **  
**Run Porthos.

Porthos looks at her, grabs the rest of his stuff. Bulls the other guards  
down, crashes through the wall of the barn and mounts his horse. He  
rides off.

 **1 EXT: Misc Barn**

Lou-ise and the guards see him riding off but he is too far off for them to  
pursue. Lou-ise looks back at the princess.

 **2 INT: Misc Barn**

She looks at Lou-ise with distain. She's half-dressed herself.

 **Lou-ise** **  
**You know the rules madam.

 **Princess** **  
**Touch me and I will have you guillotined.

 **Lou-ise** **  
** _ **Knows she would and could**_ _ **  
**_Yes madam.

He and the other guards back off, leave the barn area, mount  
their horses and ride off.

 **3 INT: Royal Palace – Musketeers quarters**

D'Artagnan, Athos and Aramis listen to Porthos story as he admits  
what has happened.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Sadly**_ _ **  
**_…You must believe me. I did not intend for this to happen!

 **ATHOS** **  
** _ **Angry**_ _ **  
**_Of course you didn't you fool because you think with your dingle. But now they will come for you.

 **ARAMIS** **  
** _ **To Athos**_ _ **  
**_No, we must protect him until this blows over.  
 _ **To Porthos, stern**_ _ **  
**_You fool, you have dishonored the princess, the cardinal, the queen and most of all, God!

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Cups his hands over his face**_ _ **  
**_I know. I know.

(This is where we learn about Aramis)FLASH BACK:

 **4 INT: Musketeer horse barn – midday – tending**

One day Aramis is grooming his horse in the Musketeer horse barn.  
He's wearing his Abbe clothes. He's deep in thought and he strokes th  
e horse with a brush. The horse loves it.

Athos, Aramis' closest friend, walks up.

 **Athos** **  
**Aramis.

 **Aramis** **  
** _ **Turns to look, continues to groom**_ _ **  
**_Athos, what brings you here?

 **Athos** **  
**You my friend. I thought we could go riding later.

 **Aramis** **  
** _ **Probably**_ _ **  
**_Yes, that sounds good, I think I would enjoy a relaxing evening on horseback.

 **Athos** **  
**Something bothers you my friend, if you wish to discuss it, I will listen and not offer advice unless asked for.

 **Aramis** **  
**I would like to talk but I need you to promise me that you'll not talk to others of it.

 **Athos** **  
**Aramis, you are my closest friend, anything you tell me is in the strictest confidence.

Aramis Narrates as each scene is acted out. Aramis and Athos sit on a nearby bench.

 **Aramis V.O.** **  
**I was brought up in the church. Trained by some of my church friends who were  
musketeers or were at one time. My mother and father encouraged it, sanctioned it.

 **5 INT: Aramis' church – early years**

 **AramisV.O. Cont.**  
They were wonderful men. Of the highest social caliber. They even assisted my mother in teaching  
me the many fundamentals of the church.

 **6 INT: Aramis' home – early years**

 **Aramis V.O. Cont.**  
We were a well to do family and it went straight to my head. As I grew older, fifteen, sixteen, I began  
to grow arrogant.

 **7 EXT: Aramis – older – political stance in village**

 **Aramis V.O. Cont.**  
I took a political stance in the village. People got to know me and many didn't like me.  
I was of the mind that as a political figure I should be paid and treated as such.

 **Aramis V.O. Cont**.  
By age eighteen I was voted out of office. I lived in the streets of my village.

 **8 EXT: Aramis – village – poor – street person**

 **Aramis V.O. Cont.**  
I could not find work anywhere and my hunting skills were non-existent.

 **9 EXT: Aramis – Younger – not wanting to learn hunting**

 **Aramis VO Cont.**  
They tried to teach me but I didn't want to learn.

 **7b EXT: Aramis – 18 – panhandling at palace – early afternoon – clear - cool**

 **Aramis V.O. Cont.**  
One day, I was at the palace looking for handouts when a Royal came  
up to me and said that I was dirtying up the area that I should leave.  
I was starving. I begged the man to give me food or something.

He refused. And he insisted that I leave. Other men came around him.  
They were the same way. One of the men slapped me. I fell to  
the ground. I was so hungry that I became sort of crazed.

I got up and started arguing with them. I pushed one of them and the  
man I pushed drew his sword. He jabbed at me. I drew mine to  
defend myself. But when I drew mine the other five or so men drew there's.

I fought like a tiger. I'm sure some of them were musketeers. I beat  
them all and without anyone getting killed. Then I said I would  
leave. Realizing what I had done, I asked their forgiveness as I ran away.

 **10 EXT: Aramis – 18 – hiding in woods with other vagrants**

 **Aramis V.O. Cont.**  
Several days later, I was hiding in the woods with several other beggars. I was practicing a  
sermon as I often do.

 **Aramis (Sermon)** **  
**"…And the Lord sent fire and brimstone down and destroyed the cities of  
Sodom and Gomorra. The Lord took those cities because there was not  
a one person who was worthy to be saved.

Sin, sexual sin. God arbores it. Yet all of us, men and women, seem  
to ignore the fact that God doesn't like it.

He opens the Bible.

 **Aramis VO cont.** **  
**If you read in First Corinthians, sexual sin is wrong. It is in black and white,  
God doesn't like it. He didn't just wipe out Sodom and Gomorra,  
He destroyed it. Wiped it from the face of the Earth. Is that what you want?  
Is that how your life will end? Is…

 **CUT TO ATHOS:**

 **Athos** **  
**…Aramis!

 **10b EXT: Kings soldiers appear – mid afternoon – clear - cool**

 **Aramis** **  
**…Oh sorry.

 **FLASH BACK CONT.**

 **Aramis V.O. Cont**.  
Anyway, several of the king's guards came looking for us. They raided our camp.  
They were so cruel, I couldn't just stand by and watch them slaughter everyone.  
I pulled my sword and began to fight them. Every time one of them was  
about to get the upper hand on me, the other beggars jumped in to help.

Finally, when many of them were beaten… or dead… a royal  
came out of a carriage and asked me if I would defend the King and Queen."

 **Aramis** **  
** _ **I answered**_ _ **  
**_"Honorably."

 **THE ROYAL ASKED** **  
**"How old are you?"

 **Aramis** **  
** _ **Out of breath**_ _ **  
**_"Eighteen sir."

 **Royal** **  
**You were seen, dueling at the palace. We were sent to find you. When I asked  
how I would know you, I was told that the gallant fighter would make  
himself known in battle and wears the clothes of clergy.

 **Aramis V.O.**  
The royal then asked me if I was interested in joining the musketeers.  
I had to think about it. I really wanted to be an Abbe. I was trained as one  
and I dressed as one.

 **The Royal said…** **  
**"Be an Abbe and be a musketeer."

 **Aramis Cont.** **  
**"Is that possible? I sked."

 **The Royal said…** **  
**"Of course."

 **11 EXT: Aramis in Musketeer training – sunny – clear - cool**

 **Aramis VO cont.** **  
**So I joined finding only later that if you were officially a musketeer, you could not be an Abbe.

 **CUT TO ATHOS:**

 **Athos** **  
**So you ponder this? This is what you are worried about?

 **Aramis** **  
**Often. Soon I will resign my commission as a musketeer and become a true Abbe.

 **Athos** **  
** _ **Smiles**_ _ **  
**_No you won't.

(End of Aramis' Story) NEXT SCENE:

Come back to reality.

 **12 EXT: Day – clear – cool - woods – misc clearing**

 **13 INT: Safe house**

 **D'ARTAGNAN** **  
**Aramis is correct, we must protect him.

 **Aramis** **  
**Then what, what would you have us do?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_We must hide him.

 **Athos** **  
**We are subject to the Cardinal and the Queen, who are her parents by the way.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Yes, but friendship overrides all that, do you not think?

 **Athos** **  
** _ **Bows his head**_ _ **  
**_Yes D'Artagnan, you are right.

 **Aramis** **  
** _ **To Porthos, gets up**_ _ **  
**_Come with me fool, we must leave straight away before they come.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Jumps up**_ _ **  
**_Yes, we must go now!

 **12b EXT: Safe house**

Athos is already out the door and mounting his horse. They all ride off.

 **14 EXT: Path in the woods near the palace**

They all stop.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **To Aramis**_ _ **  
**_Where are we going?

 **Aramis** **  
** _ **To D'Artagnan**_ _ **  
**_I don't know, I thought you…

 **Athos** **  
**…Great, and where does one hide a big oaf like Porthos?

 **Porthos** **  
**Oaf?

 **Athos** **  
**OAF!

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Offended, dismounts and pulls his sword**_ _ **  
**_I am no oaf.

Athos pulls his sword.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Get back on your horse you fool. We have no time for this.

Porthos thinks, sheaths his sword and gets back on his horse all  
while giving Athos a dirty look. Athos sheaths his as well, watching  
Porthos.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Now, think, where do we hide him.

 **Aramis** **  
**I don't know but we'd better think quickly, I hear horses.

Sure enough, Lou-ise is with a Posey looking for Porthos. The four  
ride further down the path and eventually divert off into the woods.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **While riding**_ _ **  
**_Follow me!

The other three follow D'Artagnan. They ride off into the woods.

 **15 INT: Palace – Cardinals office – Candle light**

Lou-ise is telling of his recent tails.

 **Lou-ise** **  
**…I'm sorry sir, I know you won't like this but…

 **CARDINAL** **  
**…What you fool, tell me.

 **Lou-ise** **  
**He was with… your daughter my liege.

 **Cardinal** **  
** _ **Shocked**_ _ **  
**_My daughter?

 **Lou-ise** **  
** _ **He bows**_ _ **  
**_Yes my liege.

The Cardinal thinks.

 **Cardinal** **  
** _ **Trying to hide his hatred for the Three Musketeers**_ _ **  
**_Porthos, he is a musketeer is he not?

 **Lou-ise** **  
** _ **Hates the musketeers**_ _ **  
**_He… he is sir but the rules, your rules, it's the law…

 **Cardinal** **  
**…I make the rules and if I want to break them, I will.

 **Lou-ise** **  
** _ **Humbled**_ _ **  
**_Yes my liege.

 **Cardinal** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_Porthos is one of the greatest amongst the musketeer.  
 _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_My daughter is old and not married.  
 _ **Thinks, looks at Lou-ise**_ _ **  
**_You must not say anything to the queen. I would break the news to  
her in my own time.

 **Lou-ise** **  
**Yes my liege.

 **Cardinal** **  
**You must promise me this Lou-ise.

 **Lou-ise** **  
** _ **Lies to the cardinal**_ _ **  
**_I… I promise my liege.

 **Cardinal** **  
**Good.  
 _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_Now, how to break this to Catherine.

 **12 EXT: Woods – later day – old cabin**

The four come to a cabin in the woods under a large hill.

 **Aramis** **  
** _ **To D'Artagnan**_ _ **  
**_What is this place?

The others look on also not knowing where they are.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**This old cabin is where I hid from you when you were looking for me.

Athos and Porthos smile somewhat.

 **Athos** **  
**We would have never found you here my friend.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Exactly. And hopefully they will not find our friend.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Looking at it**_ _ **  
**_It looks rather… run down. I mean, I would not look a gift horse in the mouth but…

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**…What will you do while you are here Porthos?

D'Artagnan goes deep into thought.

(This is where we learn about D'Artagnan) FLASH BACK:

 **16 EXT: Small village in _ France – early morning – still dark – cloudy - cool**

A small village. In the town of _ France. A small cottage where  
(D'Artagnan's family) lives. Father (Mr. D'Artagnan), mother (Mrs. D'Artagnan),  
Younger brother (Billy D'Artagnan) and little sister (Susie D'Artagnan) and  
D'Artagnan himself.

 **17 INT: D'artagnan's home**

The father wakes a young Seven year old D'Artagnan to steel fruit from  
the farmers market in town. Barely awake, D'Artagnan splashes some  
water in his face, eats a piece of bread, dons warm clothes and follows  
his father out of the small cottage.

 **18 EXT: Early morning – dusky – cool - cloudy**

It's still dark. Down the road they walk together. Town isn't  
far away. They sit by a tree together until the farmer arrives  
with his goods.

 **19 EXT: Near village center – market area – dusky - cool**

When the farmer arrives he begins to unload crates of fruit. Apples,  
berries, Strawberries, etc.

 **D'FATHER** **  
** _ **Whispers**_ _ **  
**_Ok Dart, now's the time, it's you or we eat bread for another day.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Yes sir.

D'Artagnan is a spit fire. He doesn't mind steeling at all, especially  
if his father sanctions it. D'Artagnan carefully makes his way to the farm  
stand. Stealthily, working his way closer. He's next to the table.

He rises up slowly to see what's above him. Apples, big bright red ones.  
He opens his bag, reaches up and one by one drops apples in his bag.  
Suddenly he hears someone cry out…

 **GRANARY MANAGER** **  
**Robery!

Thieves acting non-chalant loading bags of grain onto a cart. But the  
manager sees them. He knows who they are. They all stop. This is  
strange, usually the man sees them and doesn't say anything for fear  
that he'll be run through.

A detachment of musketeers rides in. Twenty or so. There are twelve  
thieves. They try to hi-tail it out but the musketeers are on them.  
It must have been pre-planned.

D'Artagnan thought it was for him at first. He looks towards his father  
who signals him to stay put. D'Artagnan turns again to watch what is  
going on. The musketeers have surrounded the cart in practiced fashion.  
Several of the musketeers dismount.

 **MUSKETEER 1** **  
**Come along peacefully, there's no need for bloodshed.

A musketeer from upon a horse.

 **Horse Musketeer** **  
**La Shu, you've been caught, by the authority given me by the king  
of France, you and your men are under arrest.

La Shu pulls his sword. The rest of his gang also pull swords. The  
musketeers, on foot and on horseback pull their swords.

La Shu attacks. The fight is on. Some of La Shu's gang are pretty  
handy with the sword but the musketeers are all experts. La Shu  
and some of his gang are either killed or injured. The Musketeers  
quickly gain control and the ones that are alive are tied up and  
marched out of the city.

D'Artagnan can't believe what he's seen. He's heard but never  
actually seen the musketeers in action. He's standing now though  
not realizing it. The bag of apples falls out of his hand. The Farmer  
sees him and calls out…

 **FARMER** **  
**Stop you little thief!

D'Artagnan tries to run realizing that he's been spotted. But it's  
too late. The farmer catches him. D'Artagnan's father comes out  
of the trees but the Farmer his huge. Using D'Artagnan as a club,  
he knocks the father for a loop.

 **HORSE MUSKETEER** **  
**You there, let the boy go. He's not a criminal, he's hungry.

The Farmer reluctantly heeds his suggestion and lets D'Artagnan go.  
D'Artagnan tries to run but runs into another Musketeer. The musketeer  
doesn't move. D'Artagnan hits him like a brick wall and falls back.

Everyone laughs. Another musketeer helps the father up and brushes  
him off. The musketeer on horseback rides over.

 **Horse Musketeer** **  
** _ **To the father**_ **  
**Your child?

 **Father** **  
**Yes, yes sir.

 **Horse Musketeer** **  
**Take the boy, bring him home and teach him to field not steel.

The father, thankful, stumbles a little, grabs D'Artagnan by the hand  
and starts to lead him off. The Musketeer on the horse calls out to  
them again.

 **Horse Musketeer** **  
**You!

The father stops and looks. The Horse bound musketeer tosses a  
gold coin to the father.

 **Horse Musketeer cont.** **  
**By fruit with it and bring the change to your woman.

The father and D'Artagnan are so grateful to be set free that they  
disappear into the woods anyway. The musketeers all laugh.  
D'Artagnan watches behind himself as his father hauls him away.  
The musketeers, mount up, usher the thieves along and leave as  
if nothing ever happened. D'Artagnan is enamored.

 **17\. INT: D'Artagnan's home - morning**

When D'Artagnan and his father arrive home, the wife, younger  
brother and sister are doing chores. The father walks in with  
D'Artagnan at his side.

The wife is disgusted with the father. She knows what he's been  
doing. She reaches out and opens the husband's hand. A gold coin.

 **WIFE** **  
**We don't take hand-outs. Take D'Artagnan and show him how to grow  
things. We will eat bread again tonight.

The husband looks down at D'Artagnan. D'Artagnan looks up at him.  
The husband gives the gold coin to D'Artagnan and walks out.  
D'Artagnan never sees his father again.

 **20 INT: D'Artagnan's mother on her death bed in the same house**

Several years later D'Artagnan's mother grows ill. She is on her death  
bed. D'Artagnan is at her side.

 **21 INT: D'Artagnan's home – Misc Bed room**

 **Mother** **  
** _ **To D'Artagnan**_ _ **  
**_You are the oldest. You must take care of your brother and sister now.  
I don't know what you'll do but you must do something soon or they will starve.

 **22 EXT: Funeral scene**

His mother dies.

 **16 EXT: Wooded village – day – cool - clear**

He makes some attempts to find work but no one else has any  
money either.

 **17 INT: D'Artagnan's home – main room**

When he arrives home, his brother and sister are being taken  
by some people in town. The town mayor talks to him.

 **23 EXT: Out front of D'Artagnan's home – day – wooded area**

The Mayor's people are rounding up D'Artagnan's brother and sister.  
The Mayor talks to D'Artagnan.

 **MAYOR** **  
**You are too young D'Artagnan, you will live with the Friers until you  
are old enough to go on your own.

His brother and sister are crying. The old man Mr. Frier takes  
D'Artagnan by the arm and pulls him along.

 **24 INT: Frier's home – attic – late night - dark**

That night, D'Artagnan with a small lamp, packs some things,  
wakes his brother and sister and tells them…

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**…I'm going to become a musketeer. When I am in the service of the King, I  
will come back for you.

Late that night he leaves.

 **25 EXT: D'Artagnan walking**

 **Montage:**

Different places in France where D'Artagnan is walking.

Clear across France he walks until he finally reaches the palace of  
the king and his Musketeers.

 **End montage:**

 **26 EXT: Near Palace in Paris – Early morning – Cool - Clear**

He is found by a musketeer passed out from lack of food and water.

 **27 INT: Palace – misc room – later in the day**

He is revived by a beautiful maid in the palace. He eats, drinks then asks…

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Is this the palace of the King's musketeers?

 **MAID** **  
**Yes.

He runs off. She tries to stop him.

 **28 EXT: Palace court yard – afternoon – cool - clear**

He runs outside, the musketeers are training out in the quad of  
the palace. D'Artagnan runs in and starts training with them.  
The training leader walks over by him.

 **TRAINING LEADER** **  
**And who might you be?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**I am a new recruit. I've come to join the musketeers to fight for  
King and country.

The trainer pulls him aside.

 **Training Leader** **  
**How old are you?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Stands at attention**_ _ **  
**_Fourteen sir.

 **TL** **  
** _ **Laughs a little**_ _ **  
**_And um, what is your name?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**D'Artagnan sir.

 **TL** **  
**You're a little young aren't you?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Looks around**_ _ **  
**_Well, yes, I guess but I'm ready sir.

 **TL** **  
**Young man, even if you were older, you must be appointed by the King  
to be a musketeer.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Oh, I see. I cannot volunteer?

 **TL** **  
**For the King's Army you can but you have to wait about four more years.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Can one be appointed from the Army to be a Musketeer?

 **TL** **  
**It has happened but not very often.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**My mother and father are dead sir, I must be able to volunteer now.

Many laugh.

 **TL** **  
**Sorry young man.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Might I ask the Kinf?

 **TL** **  
**That's enough, go now, come back in four years.

D'Artagnan dejected and unsure what he was to do walked dejectedly  
off into the woods near the palace. There was a small village near the palace.

 **29 EXT: Amidst a small village – Early evening – Farm stand**

He was starving. He resorted to steeling again but an old man caught him.

 **30 INT: Old man's home in the woods – Not a poor man**

The old man brought him home and fed D'Artagnan. D'Artagnan  
told the old man what had happened and how he had come to  
join the Musketeers.

 **31 EXT: D'Artagnan in a clearing - Tilling**

So the old man started working him. He worked D'Artagnan hard.  
One night when D'Artagnan had enough he struck out and  
entered a large pub. He tried to get handouts from some of  
the people there.

 **32 INT: Village - Pub**

Instead of handouts, some of the people were angered and  
started to attack D'Artagnan. Just as D'Artagnan thought his  
life was over, someone in a dark robe jumped in and defended him.

Several men in the pub attacked the old man with sword. The old  
man was good and fended off his attackers. When the fight was  
over, the defender walked over to D'Artagnan. He pulled off the  
hood of his robe. It was the old man.

 **OLD MAN** **  
**If you want to be a Musketeer, you must start by learning to work hard.  
Then and only then will I teach you what you need to know to be a Musketeer.

D'Artagnan agreed. The two part together.

 **31 EXT: Old man's guarden clearing – D'artagnan tilling and planting**

The old man worked D'Artagnan hard again and one day began to  
teach D'Artagnan how to fence.

 **33 EXT: Out front of the old man's home – Afternoon - Sparring**

The old man was astonished at how good D'Artagnan was. It  
seemed that no matter what the old man through at him,  
he managed to, defend it, do it or work it out.

 **31 EXT: Old man's guarden clearing – D'artagnan tilling and planting**

D'Artagnan worked hard for the old man.

 **34 EXT: Old man's funeral**

Four years later, the old man died. D'Artagnan loved the old man  
like a father and mourned when he passed. D'Artagnan lived  
in the old man's house for a time but still longed to be a musketeer.

 **30 INT: Old man's home – Main room – Evening – Lamp light**

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **To himself**_ _ **  
**_If I must join the King's army to prove myself, then I will. Then I will free  
my brother and sister.

 **35 EXT: Morning – near palace – clear - cool**

Still determined to go back for his brother and sister after  
all that time. When he arrived at the King's palace he was  
greeted at the entrance by a guard.

 **35 EXT: Out front of main entrance to palace**

 **GUARD** **  
**Can I help you young man?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **He smiles**_ _ **  
**_I'm here to join the King's army.

 **Guard** **  
** _ **Sarcastically**_ _ **  
**_You are?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Yes sir, I will show that I am a gallant man and I will eventually  
become a musketeer.

 **Guard** **  
** _ **Laughs a little**_ _ **  
**_If you are in the King's army you would not be able to be a musketeer.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Oh, why not?

 **Guard** **  
**You have to be appointed to the musketeers. And if you are in the army,  
you stay in the army.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**I was told that some people go from the King's army into the musketeers.

 **Guard** **  
**How old are you?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Twenty sir.

 **Guard** **  
**That's what I'm trying to tell you, you must be appointed at the age of  
eighteen. If not, you cannot be a musketeer. So even if you're in the king's  
army you are too old.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_Then I shall be a servant to the King upon joining his army.

 **Guard** **  
**Not today you're not.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**What, why not?

 **Guard** **  
**The King isn't taking any more recruits right now, at the advice  
of her confidant Lou-ise.

Several other people have joined the guard now and are listening  
to the conversation. They laugh. D'Artagnan pays little attention to  
them.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Ok, then when?

 **Guard** **  
**You're not getting it. The King doesn't want you.

The people around laugh.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Then I will ask the King.

 **Guard** **  
**Wha… you will not ask the King.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Then you will.

Everyone laughs again.

 **Guard** **  
**I will not… be gone with you stupid young man.

D'Artagnan turns to leave, he is humiliated. The people behind  
him continue to laugh. He hears the guard say "The nerve,"  
People laugh.

 **30 INT: Old man's cottage – main room**

But D'Artagnan is ahead of the game, he pays someone on  
the inside to tell him when the musketeers are going on a  
mission and beats them to it.

 **30b INT: Old mans's home – mid day**

 **Montage:**

Mission after mission D'Artagnan either takes the whole situation into  
his own hands or makes it so that the musketeers have it easy.

 **End montage:**

 **36 INT: Musketeers building near the palace – captains room**

MACSHO DE CHONCE one of the commanding officers in charge of  
a division of musketeers is speaking with the Captain.

 **M de Ch** **  
**…And I've no idea why the king is the way he is but he asks us to do things  
that the musketeers normally don't do.

 **CAPTAIN FLUESS (Piar Flu – ess)** **  
**Yes I know but he is the king. As musketeers we must do as the king and  
queen order. We know that sometimes kings are not good but we must defend  
them non-the-less.

 **M de Ch** **  
**Captain, if this keeps up, I'm afraid I will have to resign my commission.  
And there are others who have told me they would do the same.

 **Fluess** **  
**I will talk to the king.

 **M de Ch** **  
**That is all I ask.

 **37 INT: Palace – kings court**

Conversation already ensuing…

 **KING AN SOL** **  
**…Who, who says that?

 **Fluess** **  
**Several of the men. De Chonce and some of his men.

 **36 INT: Musketeer building – captains office**

A messenger appears at Fluess' door.

 **Fluess** **  
**Yes.

 **MESSENGER 1** **  
** _ **Announces**_ _ **  
**_Macsho de Chonce and some of his men… are dead.

Fluess jumps up.

 **Fluess** **  
**What, what are you talking about?

 **Messenger 1** **  
**I was told by the king to tell you that no one defies the king and gets away with it.  
No one leaves and no one speaks ill of the king.

 **37 INT: Palace – kings court**

 **Fluess** **  
**…But your majesty, it has always been the rule that if a man believes himself  
to be unprepared to serve the king and queen, that he be allowed to leave  
the musketeers.

 **King An Sol** **  
** _ **Gets in Fluess' face**_ _ **  
**_NO! No one leaves and no one defies the king. That is my rule!

 **Fluess** **  
**Yes sir.  
 _ **C.S.**_ _ **  
**_Excuse me sir but do you know how De Chonce and his men were killed?

 **King An Sol** **  
** _ **As if he really doesn't know**_ _ **  
**_I have heard no such thing. Captain Fluess are you loosing track of your men?

 **Fluess** **  
** _ **Shocked by the king's response**_ _ **  
**_No my king, I will get to the bottom of this.

 **King An Sol** **  
**And so you should. Good day Captain.

Meaning it was time for Fluess to leave the court.

As Fluess is walking out of the palace to the musketeer building a  
woman stops him. It's COUNTESS DU MUL, the mother of the king.  
She calls to him from a place of hiding.

 **38 EXT: Palace corridor outside**

 **Countess** **  
**Captain Fluess…

He looks around wondering who called him.

 **Countess cont.** **  
**Captain Fluess, over here.

He finally sees her hiding in the shadows. He walks over.

 **Fluess** **  
**Countess, (my love) what are you doing? Is something wrong?

They embrace.

 **Countess** **  
** _ **She begins to sob**_ _ **  
**_Please forgive me captain, but…  
 _ **A long pause**_ _ **  
**_…when the king was born…  
 _ **Pause**_ _ **  
**_…He had a twin brother.

 **Fluess** **  
**A twin, I did not know this. Where is he now?

 **Countess** **  
**I do not know but the king has been holding someone in the old west tower for  
years. I think it may be my other son, our other son the twin, the real king.

 **Fluess** **  
**What do you mean the real king?

 **Countess** **  
**When they were born, the Cardinal declared my first son, Louis the VIII to  
be king after his father Louis the VII died. When the two boys grew up the other twin,  
An sol became jealous of his bother, the king.

One day the king, the one that's in there now said that the bad twin left  
rather than endure the humiliation but I think An Sol took the real king  
hostage and filled his bothers seat.

 **Fluess** **  
**You think the current king is An Sol?

 **Countess** **  
**Yes.

 **Fluess** **  
**Who says he's Louis?

 **Countess** **  
**Yes.

 **Fluess** **  
**Does anyone know this besides you and I?

 **Countess** **  
**No, well… the king.

 **Fluess** **  
**Yes, I get that…  
 _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_…Keep this between us.

 **Countess** **  
**I will.

 **Fluess** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_Why tell me, I could be a trader?

 **Countess** **  
**I have known you all my life Captain Fluess, I love you and I believe I can trust you.

 **Fluess** **  
**You can.

Fluess leaves, the countess ducks back into the shadows and disappears.

 **36 INT: Musketeer building - Captains office**

De Chonce replacement, La Fute.

 **LA FUTE** **  
**…Are you sure?

 **Fluess** **  
**No as a matter of fact I am not sure and I can't act until I do.

 **La Fute** **  
**What do you wish me to do?

 **Fluess** **  
**Keep quiet but keep your ears open and report to me daily. Do you know  
of any other musketeers that might be able to help us?

 **La Fute** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_Maybe.

 **30 INT: Old man's cottage – D'Artagnan**

La Fute is D'Artagnan's inside man.

 **La Fute** **  
**…and that is what he told me.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Thinks out loud**_ _ **  
**_Then I must find out who is in that tower.

 **La Fute** **  
**Be careful, the reason no one goes there is because the king declared that area  
off limits years ago.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Years ago, how long has it been?

 **La Fute** **  
**Over two year's sir.

 **Fade: D'Artagnan C.U.**

 **39 EXT: West tower – night – cool**

The camera shows the west tower lit only by the moon at night.  
As it pans down, a man with a climbing harness comes into view.  
He spins a grapple with a rope tied to it and throws it to one of the  
upper windows. It makes a noise. D'Artagnan looks around. No one  
comes.

He begins to climb. When he reaches the window, he throws the  
grapple up a few more stories. It hooks on another window but clanks  
when it catches. D'Artagnan shakes the grapple lose, it comes down.  
D'Artagnan pulls it in just in time. A parameter guard walks into the  
area and looks around.

D'Artagnan sees the man and hopes he doesn't notice. The man  
looks up but doesn't seem to see D'Artagnan in the window. The guard  
walks out. D'Artagnan throws the grapple up again. This time the  
grapple hooks the top window. He climbs up. The window is locked  
closed but it's only wood.

D'Artagnan pry's the window open and climbs into the top floor of  
the tower.

 **40 INT: West tower of palace – night – very dark - cool**

He lights a small torch. He shines it around. He hears a muffled voice.

 **VOICE** **  
** _ **Frightened, muffled**_ _ **  
**_Who's there?

D'Artagnan doesn't speak but his light now illuminates the man  
with the voice. The man has an iron mask and is chained to the  
wall. D'Artagnan walks over to him and kneels down.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Calmly**_ _ **  
**_I am a friend.

The man comes out of a fetal position and reaches up with his hand.

 **Voice** **  
** _ **Muffled by the mask**_ _ **  
**_Who are you?

D'Artagnan reaches over and tries to pull the mask off. The man in  
the mask cries out in pain.

 **Voice cont.** **  
**It is… clamped on, never to be removed.

D'Artagnan feels around the back of the mask.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**It is only held by a key, but I don't have anything to Jimmy the lock.  
I will have to come back.

 **Voice** **  
**Please, don't leave, I've not talked to anyone for many years.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Why are you here, who are you?

 **Voice** **  
** _ **Lowers his masked head**_ _ **  
**_I only know my name is Louis. I don't remember anything else. I'm not sure  
I even remember my mother or father.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Shocked**_ _ **  
**_Louis, I must leave but I will return.

 **Voice** **  
**I… very well sir.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Tell know one of my visit.

 **Voice** **  
**Your secret is safe with me sir.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**I am D'Artagnan of the musketeers. And I shall return, that is a promise.

With that D'Artagnan leaves. Out the window.

 **39 EXT: Palace tower – repelling down**

When he reaches the bottom he is attacked from behind and  
taken prisoner.

 **(Choreograph)**

As they usher him to the prison he escapes, he uses something on  
one of the wagons to cut his hands loose and steels a sword. He fights  
off his captures and disappears into the woods.

 **41 EXT: Next day – morning – cool - sunny – Musketeers building just out front**

The musketeers are in formation being given orders by Fluess.

 **Fluess** **  
**…anyone who finds this man, will be promoted and given pay accordingly.  
Now ride and find this man.

The musketeers break formation, mount their many horses and ride  
off in different directions.

 **42 EXT: Woods – old man's cottage – day**

Two musketeers dismount, one notices a rope and grapple  
hanging on a hook just outside the front door and points it out  
to the other. The other musketeer pulls his sword and backs  
up to the side of the door. The other musketeer charges the  
front door.

 **(Choreograph)**

As the one crashes in, D'Artagnan, who knew they were there,  
is ready. A dual ensues, before long D'Artagnan has them both  
whipped. He ties them up, gags them, puts them on their horses  
and sends them off. Alive.

 **42 EXT: Woods – next day - old man's cottage – day**

The next day, six musketeers arrive at D'Artagnan's cottage.

 **scene changes again:**

 **41 EXT: Musketeers building – day – inside the main gate**

The six musketeers ride in gagged and tied up.

 **36 INT: Musketeer building – Fluess' office**

Fluess calls for the Three Musketeers, Porthos, Athos and Aramis.  
He informs the leader, Aramis and the three are off to find D'Artagnan,  
not yet knowing his actual name.

They go to the cottage. No one is there. They investigate the cottage.  
They find the rope and grapple. One of them finds a bottle from the local tap.

They go to the local tap. D'Artagnan is waiting for them.

 **(Choreograph)**

This time, it's not so easy for D'Artagnan. He engages in sword  
fights but the Three Musketeers are as good as him. D'Artagnan  
must resort to other tactics to thwart his pursuers. He finally  
escapes on horseback.

 **43 EXT: Woods near palace – Day**

 **(Choreograph)**

It's nearing evening, the Three Musketeers have been searching  
all day. Suddenly D'Artagnan comes out of the trees. They dual,  
D'Artagnan has his hands full. Frustrated, he escapes again.

 **42 EXT: Woods – old man's cottage – next day**

The Three Musketeers attack the cottage. D'Artagnan is inside but  
waiting for them.

 **30 INT: Old man's cottage**

This time, after dueling with Athos and Aramis, D'Artagnan climbs  
out a back window and ends up outside.

 **44 EXT: Old man's cottage – back of building**

Outside, Porthos is waiting for him and throws a net over him and  
tackles him.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Yelling**_ _ **  
**_I have him!

Athos and Aramis come running out. D'Artagnan struggles but  
the more he struggles the more entangled he becomes. They  
roll him over.

 **Aramis** **  
**Who are you?

D'Artagnan doesn't say a word.

 **Athos** **  
**Why were you at the palace in an area strictly forbidden to go near  
by the king?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Doesn't speak for a moment**_ _ **  
**_I…

 **Athos** **  
**…Tie him up and put him on his horse, we'll let the king decide what to  
do with him.

They haul him up on his horse, gagged and tied. He tries to talk.

 **Porthos** **  
**I think he's trying to say something.

 **Athos** **  
**He had his chance.

They start to lead him away but D'Artagnan is tricky. He has a  
small knife hidden in his sleeve.

 **45 EXT: Misc woods**

He cuts the ropes binding his hands but Aramis is on to him and  
pulls him off his horse to the ground and jumps on him. D'Artagnan  
has his gag off.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Before they can gag him again**_ _ **  
**_I believe the man in the tower is the real king!

Aramis pauses and listens.

 **Aramis** **  
**And what makes you think that?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Only that I have it on good authority.

 **Porthos** **  
**Really, how do you know it's good authority?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**I… I don't.

 **Aramis** **  
**Gag him and put him back on his horse…

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Wait! Don't you want to know why the king has the west tower off limits?

 **Athos** **  
**No, we just do what we are told.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**The king has a twin brother.

They stop, for some reason this registers with them.

 **Aramis** **  
** _ **Hauls D'Artagnan up**_ _ **  
**_Where did you hear that?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**I… I have an informer. He resides within your ranks. He got it from the Captain who  
got it from the king's mother, the Countess. She believes that the evil twin  
is on the thrown and his brother, Louis the real king is being kept in the tower.

 **Aramis** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_It has puzzled me these last years, why the king has asked the musketeers to do the  
strange things he has.

 _ **Looks at D'Artagnan**_ _ **  
**_Did you climb into that tower?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Yes.

 **Aramis** **  
**What did you see?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Un-tie me and I'll tell you.

 **Porthos and Athos** **  
**(Random) I don't think so.

 **Aramis** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_Un-tie him.

 **Athos** **  
**Aramis, he will only run.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**I will not. I wish to become a musketeer.

Porthos and Athos laugh. They untie him.

 **Aramis** **  
**Who is in the tower?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_What about my wish?

 **Porthos** **  
**Tells us and maybe we'll let you go.

 **Aramis** **  
** _ **Hold up a hand to silence Porthos**_ _ **  
**_If what you tell us is of value, you will get your wish.

 **Athos** **  
**Aramis, you can't do that.

 **Aramis** **  
**Then he is with us.

 **Porthos** **  
**Good, then I can whip his little ass.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**You are a fat pig. Give me my sword and I will show you.

 **Porthos** **  
**I do not like being called a pig. Let him up Aramis and give  
him a sword.

Aramis does just that. He lets D'Artagnan up. D'Artagnan  
pulls Aramis' sword and faces off with Porthos.

 **(Choreograph)**

The two battle. Porthos is way more of a challenge than D'Artagnan  
had thought. Porthos duels but is growing tired. D'Artagnan is also  
getting tired but his youth gives him an advantage. Finally D'Artagnan  
kicks his feet out from under him and has him on his back with the  
point of the sword to his throat.

 **Aramis** **  
**Don't kill him, we need him.

D'Artagnan pulls the sword away and tosses it back to Aramis.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**I had no intention of killing this man. I will tell you what I learned because I  
believe you three to be the legendary Three Musketeers.

Porthos, Athos and Aramis go side by side and smile.

 **Aramis** **  
**Tell us what you know… and…

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**…and?

 **Athos** **  
**Tell us your name.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**I am D'Artagnan, the old man who used to live in the cottage taught me to…

 **Aramis** **  
**…the old man who used to live in the cottage used to be our captain. He taught  
us all to be musketeers.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**All I know, is that the man in the tower was chained to the wall with an iron  
mask over his face.

 **Porthos** **  
**An iron mask?

 **Aramis** **  
**His name?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**He told me his name was… Louis. (Lu-ee)

The three look at each other in shock. They converse in secret.  
Then they turn. They're all smiling.

 **Porthos** **  
**We are The Three Musketeers not the four Musketeers.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**And so you shall remain the Three Musketeers, I will just remain a silent  
partner. If you so desire.

Aramis extends a hand. He and D'Artagnan shake. The other two  
join in. They all lock swords in the air

 **Athos** **  
**All for one…  
 **All reply** **  
**…and one for all!

They all mount up.

 **Aramis** **  
** _ **To D'Artagnan**_ _ **  
**_You realize we cannot officially make you a musketeer?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**I understand but if I am worthy to ride with you then being a real musketeer will  
not be necessary.

Aramis smiles and looks at Porthos and Athos who are also  
smiling. They ride off.

 **35 EXT: Front of palace – late afternoon – sunny – cool**

Captain Fluess catches them as they're riding by. They stop.

 **Fluess** **  
**Where are you gentlemen headed to?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Speaks first**_ _ **  
**_To see the king, we believe he might not actually be the king.

 **Fluess** **  
** _ **Before they can ride off**_ _ **  
**_He is… not necessarily the king.

 **Aramis** **  
**What?

 **Fluess** **  
**He might not be the king, but he…  
 _ **Pause**_ _ **  
**_…is my son.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**You're…

 **Fluess** **  
** _ **Looks at Aramis about D'Artagnan**_ _ **  
**_Who is this man?

 **Aramis** **  
**He is a new addition to the Three Musketeers.

 **Fluess** **  
**So now you are the Four…

 **D'Artagnan**

…D'Artagnan sir, and no, they remain the Three Musketeers.

 **Aramis** **  
** _ **To the captain about D'Artagnan**_ _ **  
**_He has told us what we believe to be true so we ride.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Still pondering**_ _ **  
**_Then you and the Countess…

 **Fluess** **  
**…yes, and I still love her and she still loves me.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Then you know of the twins?

 **Fluess** **  
**No but I have long suspected that the king is… another.

 **Aramis** **  
**Then ride with us, help keep the king's guards at bay while we investigate.

 **Fluess** **  
** _ **Thinks, he turns to a musketeer Centre**_ _ **  
**_Get five men, come and find us by the west tower.

 **CENTRE** **  
** _ **Salutes**_ _ **  
**_Sir!  
 _ **Pause, did I hear right?**_ _ **  
**_…The west tower sir?

 **Fluess** **  
**Yes, the West tower.

 **Centre** **  
**Sir!

He dismounts and enters the musketeer building. The five men  
ride toward the west tower. While they are riding…

 **Fluess** **  
**There will be no investigation, if it is my son, we shall rescue him.

 **39 EXT: West tower – Afternoon**

A guard stands at the entrance to the west tower. He holds his  
ground. The five men ride up.

 **TOWER GUARD 2** **  
**The king has put me here and I will do my duty. You will not pass.

 **Aramis** **  
**There are five of us and one of you. Are you sure you want to do your duty?

 **Tower guard 2** **  
**I must.

 **Aramis** **  
**I tell you what. You go tell the king and come back with help.

 **Tower guard 2** **  
**You are a true gentleman sir. The guard runs off.

 **Aramis** **  
**We have about ten minutes.

 **46 INT: Bottom of tower stairway**

They all dismount, pry the door open and run inside. Porthos  
looks up at all the stairs, all the stairs.

 **Porthos** **  
**I believe I will stay and assist the captain.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Are you sure my big friend?

 **Porthos** **  
**I am sure my little friend.

 **47 INT: Tower stairway**

D'Artagnan, Athos and Aramis run up the stairs. When they reach  
the door to the top of the tower it is of course locked.

 **48 INT: Top of tower – outside cell door**

 **Aramis** **  
**We need Porthos.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Let me see.

D'Artagnan pulls on the door. The handle breaks off.

 **Athos** **  
** _ **Humorously**_ _ **  
**_You are strong my friend.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**I can do better.

 **Aramis** **  
**Pull away D'Artagnan, the three of us will charge it.

The three charge the door. It breaks but does not give. The three  
men are in a little pain after the first attempt.

 **Athos** **  
**Ok, that hurt.

A sound outside the tower. Aramis looks out the window. A large  
complement of the queen's army duel with Porthos and the captain.

Looking down...

 **Aramis cont.** **  
**Our friends need our help.

Just then a group of six musketeers rides up and joins the mix.

 **Aramis** **  
**Now we have time.

 **48 INT: Top of west tower - cell**

The three line up and charge the door again this time breaking  
through.

 **40 INT: West tower cell**

Two of them crash to the floor. The room is dark and stinky. Some  
hay is scattered around. The man in the mask is lying helpless.  
He is a pathetic sight. All but dead. The three go to him.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Carefully.

 **Athos** **  
**Is he the one?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**I'm sure of it, let us take him anyway.

Aramis and Athos pull the chain from the wall. They help up the  
fragile man and begin to escort him down the stairs. As they make  
their way down, some of the king's army who have gotten past  
Porthos and the Captain, make their way up.

 **47 INT: Tower stairway**

 **(Choreograph)**

A duel on the stairs. Aramis holds the fragile man while  
D'Artagnan and Athos Duel with the guards. The guards  
are quickly dispatched. The three men work their way the  
rest of the way down the stairs.

 **46 INT: Bottom of stairs - still inside tower**

When they reach the bottom a battle is going on. A shot is fired.  
The captain goes down. The fragile man in the mask is set down  
and the other three have to join the frey.

The four and the few musketeers have all they can handle.  
The king's army is not letting up. There are too many of them.

 **39 EXT: West tower – early evening – clear - cool**

Suddenly more of the musketeers ride up. The battle is halted. One of  
the commanding officers of the musketeers rides up to the entrance  
and dismounts. He enters the tower and sees the captain laying there  
bleeding.

 **46 INT: Bottom of stairs - still inside tower**

 **MUSKETEER OFFICER 10** **  
** _ **Kneels down**_ _ **  
**_Sir, who did this to you?

 **Fluess** **  
**Someone from the Kings army but it does not matter. He was only doing his duty.

The officer sees the man in the mask. He stands up.

 **MO10** **  
**Is this the man from the tower?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Yes.

 **MO10** **  
**Who is he?

A voice comes from behind them.

 **Countess** **  
**He is my son.

They all turn. The Countess kneels and cradles his head.

 **Countess** **  
**My son.

He can see her through the mask.

 **Voice** **  
**Mother.

 **Fluess** **  
** _ **To the countess**_ _ **  
**_My love.

 **Voice** **  
**Father.

He passes out. King An Sol arrives.

 **King An sol** **  
**What are you all doing here? This area is off limits. Guards arrest these men.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**The man in the mask is the real king Louis.

 **King An sol** **  
**Nonsense, I am the king. Now arrest these men.

No one moves. The countess faces the king.

 **King An sol** **  
**Mother.

 **Countess** **  
** _ **To An sol**_ _ **  
**_How could you, this is your brother?

 **King An sol** **  
**I know not of what you speak mother, this man is a common thief.

 **Aramis** **  
**Then why keep him alive, it is your rule, hang all common criminals?

 **Fluess** **  
** _ **To An Sol**_ _ **  
**_If I had known…

 **King An Sol** **  
**If you had known, you would do what?

 **Countess** **  
**…He would have killed you.

Fluess dies.

 **King An sol** **  
**Kill me? price he has paid for treason  
 _ **Pause**_  
and I… I was… about to hang this man. And I would have hung the Captain  
but he has saved me the trouble.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**This man has been here for over two years.

Porthos man-handles one of the prison guards, knocks him down  
and takes his keys. He walks over to open the mask. The King (An Sol)  
jumps in sword pulled and stabs Porthos. D'Artagnan pulls his sword  
and pins the king against the wall with the point of his sword.

Porthos is ok. He unlocks the mask revealing the man inside.

 **Countess** **  
** _ **She sobs**_ _ **  
**_It is my son, it is the real king, King Louis!

 **MO10** **  
**All hail the king!

Everyone including the king's army bows. The frail king who was  
released from the mask, cradled in his mother's arms.

 **KING LOUIS** **  
** _ **Fragile**_ _ **  
**_Lock him in the tower and lock the mask over his face. I am a good king, I will let him  
out in a year or two.

All laugh. They take An Sol prisoner and haul him off. He cries out  
as he's being taken away…

 **An Sol** **  
**I am the king, that man is an imposter, I am the king…

 **28 EXT: A week later – palace court yard – Day – cool – sunny**

All the musketeers and the king's army are gathered in formation  
during a ceremony for the new king. All are bowed. King Louis  
walks up to the Three Musketeers plus one. He tells them to rise.  
Then he tells all to rise.

 **King Louis** **  
** _ **To Aramis**_ _ **  
**_Who is this new member of your team Aramis?

 **Aramis** **  
**He is D'Artagnan your majesty.

 **King Louis** **  
**A musketeer?

 **Aramis** **  
**No your majesty. He is… with us, that is if your majesty approves.

 **King Louis** **  
**I do not approve, only appointed ones can be musketeers.

Aramis drops his head, D'Artagnan is clearly disappointed.

 **King Louis cont.** **  
**I made that rule and only I can make exceptions. So today, the man who saved  
me, D'Artagnan…  
 _ **To D'Artagnan**_ _ **  
**_Bow my son.

D'Artagnan bows.

 **King Louis cont.** **  
** _ **Taps him on each shoulder with his sword**_ _ **  
**_I knight thee D'Artagnan, a musketeer and captain of the musketeers.

D'Artagnan looks up smiling.

 **King Louis cont.** **  
**Rise D'Artagnan, captain of the musketeers. Rise and serve the king.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Bows**_ _ **  
**_I will your majesty.

All cheer. End D'Artagnan's story NEXT SCENE:

 **12 EXT: Fade to reality – woods –D'Artagnan's cottage**

Porthos continues to speak…

 **Porthos** **  
**I… I don't know, eat I suppose.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**And when you are not eating?

 **Athos** **  
** _ **Jests**_ _ **  
**_When would that be, he is either screwing or eating, there is no in between.

The others laugh.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Offended**_ _ **  
**_In Between I am protecting you, you pig.

 **Aramis** **  
** _ **Offended**_ _ **  
**_There is only one pig around here.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Before Porthos can say anything else**_ _ **  
**_…In between, you will make this place livable again. And there will be no  
women. We cannot afford for you to be caught again until this doth in  
deed blow over.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Looks at it again, smiles a little, looks at D'Artagnan**_ _ **  
**_I will, I will make it a good place. A place to bring a woman…  
 _ **Pauses, humbly**_ _ **  
**_…Once this has all blown over of course.

 **Cut:**

 **49 INT: MISC ROOM – PALACE – MID DAY**

Lou-ise is of course, talking to the queen.

 **Lou-ise** **  
**…Milady, if the Cardinal hears that I have told you about this he will…

 **QUEEN** **  
**…He will do nothing without my word. Do not worry Lou-ise (Lu wees), I will create a  
rumor that someone else has told me.

 **Lou-ise** **  
**Yes Milady…  
 _ **Bows and exits backwards**_ _ **  
**_Thank you Milady.

Lou-ise leaves, the queen ponders.

 **Queen** **  
** _ **To herself**_ _ **  
**_I have you now Porthos…  
 _ **Pause, gets angry**_ _ **  
**_…My daughter!

 **50 INT: Misc part of the Palace**

The queen is talking with the Cardinal

 **Queen** **  
**My husband…  
 _ **She cuddles up to him**_ _ **  
**_…I have heard the news about Agnes and Porthos.

 **Cardinal** **  
**I told that bastard Lou-ise not to…

 **Queen** **  
**…It was not Lou-ise husband.

 **Cardinal** **  
**Then who?

 **Queen** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_It was… one of the men with Lou-ise the day they caught her.

 **Cardinal** **  
** _ **Think**_ _ **  
**_Lou-ise, he should have…

 **Queen** **  
**…I asked Lou-ise about this. He swore his men to secrecy. This man came to me of  
his own accord.

 **Cardinal** **  
**Who my dear, who told you?

 **Queen** **  
**Why, why is this so important to you? You know how I feel about Porthos. This is  
just what we need to…

 **Cardinal** **  
** _ **Hiding the fact that he really hates the Musketeers**_ _ **  
**_…No, I… I have seen the error of my way. The musketeers and especially Porthos are  
here to protect us. Of that I have no doubt.

 **Queen** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_The musketeers yes, but Porthos and those other three that he is always with, I  
do not trust them.

 **Cardinal** **  
** _ **Looks at her**_ _ **  
**_I do. I would sanction a marriage between these two.

 **Queen** **  
**Sanction, what do you mean? You know I would never allow this.

 **Cardinal** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_I… I know my dear. But if you would just listen to me. Porthos is a…

 **Queen** **  
**…Porthos is a buffoon and a peasant, no daughter of mine will be married to him.

 **Cardinal** **  
** _ **Gets his back up**_ _ **  
**_You… you will do as I say woman. You are my wife and…

 **Queen** **  
**…and you are not the king.

 **Cardinal** **  
**No… no I am not. I am a man of the clothe. I am the supreme leader of the church. The  
king will listen to me.

 **Queen** **  
**He will not, he is angry at you for steeling me away.  
 _ **Pause, bows her head**_ _ **  
**_He would listen to neither of us.

 **Cardinal** **  
**No… you are right, he would not.

 **Queen** **  
** _ **Perks up**_ _ **  
**_Then it comes down to this my husband, who has the trust of the royal Army?

 **Cardinal** **  
**And…  
 _ **Pause**_ _ **  
**_…That would be… you… my queen.

 **Queen** **  
**Correct, and I say, there will be no wedding. That peasant was caught with my daughter  
and he shall pay for it.

 **Cardinal** **  
** _ **Defeated**_ _ **  
**_Yes… my dear.  
 _ **Pause**_ _ **  
**_But you will orchestrate this yourself. I will have no part of it.

 **Queen** **  
**Of course my husband. I would not involve you.

 **Cardinal** **  
** _ **Turns and faces her down one more time**_ _ **  
**_She is a grown woman, she can make her own decisions. You must…

 **Queen** **  
**…I must do nothing. She knows the penalty for this as well as he does. She must  
accept the consequences.

She smiles an evil smile.

 **51 INT: Night – a bar in the town near the palace**

Men attend the bar, most peasants who barely have two nickels to  
rub together, find peace in a place where they can imbibe without  
the cackling of their wives for a few minutes.

Lou-ise is there. He is having Ale after a day's work. He overhears  
two men talking about the musketeers. He leans closer.

 **BAR MAN 1** **  
**If it weren't for those musketeers, this little village would be a lot better off.

 **BAR MAN 2** **  
**Yeah, we could get away with a lot more but they're always there.

 **Bar man 1** **  
**We should tell the Lady De Winter about them.

 **Bar man 2** **  
**She's royalty, you wouldn't get close.

Lou-ise interrupts them.

 **Lou-ise** **  
**Excuse me.

Bar men 1 and 2 look up at him.

 **Lou-ise cont.** **  
**I overheard you talking…

 **Bar man 2** **  
**…We wasn't talken about nothen!

 **Lou-ise** **  
**No, no, your secret is safe with me. You know of the LADY DE WINTER?

 **Bar man 2** **  
** _ **Thinks, looks at his friend**_ _ **  
**_No… never heard of her.

 **Lou-ise** **  
**Forgive me, I distinctly heard you talking about her. I promise, I have  
no ill wishes against you. I simply want to know where she is that I might…  
set her against the musketeers.

 **Bar man 1** **  
**How do we know you're not just trying to trick us?

 **Lou-ise** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_I… I suppose you don't. But I am not. I tell you what. You know where the  
pillars are to the entrance to the city?

 **Bar man 2** **  
**Yeah.

 **Lou-ise** **  
**You put a message there, near the feet of the statue, indicating where she might be.

 **Bar man 1** **  
**You'll be waiten for us.

 **Lou-ise** **  
**Then send someone we don't know. Here…

He pulls some coins out of a pouch attached to his side.

 **Lou-ise cont.** **  
**Pay him with this. Keep some for yourself.

 **Bar man 2** **  
**It's a trick.

 **Lou-ise** **  
** _ **Frustrated**_ _ **  
**_Look you imbecile, I could find plenty of ways to have you arrested. Sooner  
or later, you're just going to have to trust someone.

 **Bar man 2** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_I… suppose you could.

 **Lou-ise** **  
**I could… easily. But all I want is to know where Lady de Winter is.

 **Bar man 2** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_Alright, we'll find someone to leave the message. Tomorrow night too soon?

 **Lou-ise** **  
**No… no that would be perfect.

 **Bar man 1** **  
**You'll find it where you said.

 **Lou-ise** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_If what I find is good, you will be rewarded.

 **Bar man 2** **  
**Believe it when I see it.

 **Lou-ise** **  
**You… my friend, will see it.

 **Cut:**

 **52 INT: Misc room – somewhere in France – Mid day**

The Lady De Winter and an evil bishop (Charles Le Brun) discuss  
the over throw of the King in their own neck of the woods.

 **CHARLES** **  
**…But milady, is this not the perfect time?

 **LADY** **  
**The perfect time my bishop but not the perfect weapon. We need another way  
to kill him.

A messenger knocks. The Lady goes to the door but only calls  
through it.

 **Lady** **  
**Who is it?

 **ANTOINE OC** **  
** _ **Through the door**_ _ **  
**_It is Antoine milady, I have a message for you.

She opens the door but as Antoine tries to enter she blocks him.  
He hands her the letter. It's sealed, she looks at it and opens it.  
She reads. Pause, her eyes go wide.

 **Charles** **  
**What is it milady? A weapon?

 **Lady** **  
** _ **Still looking at the letter**_ _ **  
**_No…  
 _ **Pause**_ _ **  
**_…something …far greater.

Charles tries to read it from her hand. She stuff's it in a pocket in  
her coat. Turns and runs to the door.

 **Charles** **  
**Milady!

 **Lady** **  
** _ **As she's leaving**_ _ **  
**_We'll have to continue this later Charles, I have to go!

She leaves in a hurry and slams the door behind her. Charles  
just looks as if he's not sure what just happened.

 **50 INT: Misc Room – Palace**

The queen is in a misc room within the palace awaiting Lou-ise.  
Lou-ise finally arrives.

 **Lou-ise** **  
** _ **Bows before her**_ _ **  
**_Forgive me my queen, I was detained.

 **Queen** **  
**No matter.  
 _ **CS**_ _ **  
**_I have heard this and recently heard it again. Apparently there is a person  
who has specialized in getting involved in the efforts of the Musketeers and…

 **Lou-ise** **  
**…Lady De Winter.

She's surprised.

 **Lou-ise cont.** **  
**I knew of her. I dispatched a letter to her explaining the situation.

 **Queen** **  
**Wonderful Lou-ise, she has killed the greatest of men. Is she coming?

 **Lou-ise** **  
**I am afraid I have not heard my queen but I have been informed that she… is  
determined to kill D'Artagnan. She has spent time in jail for an offence of which she wishes  
to retain retribution.

 **Queen** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_She must be coming.  
 _ **Looks at Lou-ise**_ _ **  
**_Prepare for her arrival, she should be here tomorrow. Put her in our best room  
and give her anything she needs.

 **Lou-ise** **  
** _ **Bows as he leaves the room**_ _ **  
**_Yes my queen.

 **12 EXT: Cottage – deep woods – mid day**

Porthos is putting an old window back together with stones and  
cement. It falls apart because he doesn't have the correct  
mixture for the cement. He gets angry and smashes more  
of the window. A voice behind him.

 **Aramis** **  
**You are doing a wonderful job my friend.

Porthos turns around.

 **Porthos** **  
**It's this damn cement, it won't hold.

Aramis dismounts, dips his hand in the cement and sniffs it.

 **Aramis** **  
**Have you put lime in this?

 **Porthos** **  
**Lime, why would I put that in my cement?

 **Aramis** **  
**Lime, lime is the main ingredient in cement.

Porthos enters the cottage and reappears with limes in his hand.

 **Aramis cont.** **  
**Not that kind of lime you fool, lime stone, lime stone.

 **Porthos** **  
**Oh…  
 _ **Pause**_ _ **  
**_Where do I find it?

 **Aramis** **  
** _ **Looks around, finds some**_ _ **  
**_Here, D'Artagnan has left much for you. It is in this bucket.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Smiles**_ _ **  
**_I wondered what that was.  
 _ **CS**_ _ **  
**_Why are you here Aramis?

 **Aramis** **  
**Just checking on you. See if you need anything.

 **Porthos** **  
**I need a lot of things but I'd settle for some wine and several cooked chickens.

Aramis pulls a package from a pouch on his horse. He also  
pulls out a large bottle of wine.

 **Aramis** **  
**Will this do?

Porthos looks at it. He smiles.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Smiles**_ **  
**It's not chicken but it will do.

He takes it, smells it and brings it into the cottage. Aramis  
follows him in.

 **13 INT: Cottage – it is falling apart – the sun shines through many holes.**

Porthos sits down to eat. He waves for Aramis to join him.  
He slides the large bottle of wine over to him. Aramis drinks.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Mouth full, he takes a drink**_ _ **  
**_I'm grateful my friend.

 **Aramis** **  
**Porthos, you do realize that people will be trying to find you?  
She will have offered a reward.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Mouth full**_ _ **  
**_I'm sure, any news? What am I worth?

 **Aramis** **  
**About 500 pounds, otherwise no news so far but if I know the queen and her compadre,  
they will be cooking something up.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Chewing, takes another drink**_ _ **  
**_I'm… sure… you are right my friend. If she asks what will you do?

 **Aramis** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_Lie I guess.

 **Porthos** **  
**You think it will be that easy.

 **Aramis** **  
**No but one can hope.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Laughs**_ _ **  
**_I thought lying was against your religion?

 **Aramis** **  
**It is but I think God would forgive it if it was for a good reason.

 **Porthos** **  
**Maybe.

 **35 EXT: In front of the palace – Night – Dark**

A fancy carriage arrives (camera from higher view). A woman  
exits the carriage. The man with her also exits the carriage and  
knocks at the large door. A voice from over the side of the roof  
answers.

 **Claude** **  
**Who is there?

She yells up.

 **Lady** **  
**Lady De Winter sir.

The man disappears. Soon the large door opens with a creek. An  
old man, a palace guard of sorts, dressed in guard garb and a  
sword and spear at his side, escorts the Lady and her friend to  
another room within the palace.

Lou-ise waits with several servants at his side.

 **Lou-ise** **  
**The Lady De Winter I assume?

The Lady bows.

 **Lou-ise cont.** **  
**I have been told by the queen to extend every luxury to you.

 **Lady** **  
**I am grateful. Are you Lou-ise Le Nain who wrote me?

 **Lou-ise** **  
**I am milady.  
 _ **CS**_ _ **  
**_Please, follow me.

 **53 INT: Misc Corridor – Palace**

 **Lou-ise cont.** **  
**Tis the queen that will inform you.

 **Lady** **  
**Inform me, of what?

 **Lou-ise** **  
**Of… the quarry.

 **Lady** **  
**Ah.

 **Charles** **  
** _ **Whispers to her**_ _ **  
**_The quarry being the Musketeers I hope.

 **Lou-ise** **  
** _ **As he walks**_ _ **  
**_The same.

Charles, surprised at being over-heard. They arrive at a particularly  
ornate door. Lou-ise knocks. A voice from the other side answers.

 **Queen OC** **  
**Come!

Lou-ise opens the door. They enter.

 **54 INT: Lavish room – palace**

The queen sits with royal guards standing next to her. The others bow.

 **Queen** **  
**Lady De Winter?

 **Lady** **  
** _ **She bows**_ _ **  
**_I am, my queen.

 **Queen** **  
**Rise, all of you. Everyone go, leave me and the Lady to converse alone.

Charles and Lou-ise look surprised.

 **Lou-ise** **  
**But my queen…

 **Queen** **  
**…Lou-ise  
 _ **Pause**_ _ **  
**_…Please, take our friend to the palace kitchen.

 **Charles** **  
**But I am not…

 **Queen** **  
**…To the kitchen.

 **Lou-ise** **  
**…Follow me dear sir.

Lou-ise, Charles and the three guards leave. Lou-ise bows as  
he closes the door. The lady sits.

 **Queen** **  
**I don't often get a chance to converse with a woman as high in the aristocracy as me.

 **Lady** **  
**Please ma'am, I am not.

 **Queen** **  
**Very well but you are the same I suspect.

 **Lady** **  
**I am honored my queen.

 **Queen** **  
**I am sure I am not your queen.

 **Lady** **  
**In your presents you are my queen.

 **Queen** **  
**I have heard much about you. I'm sure you have no queen… but never mind that.  
Have you seen the room?

 **Lady** **  
**I have, it is… more than I would have expected.

 **Queen** **  
**You deserve it, you have a big job ahead of you.

 **Lady** **  
**Yes…  
 _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_…But I fear D'Artagnan will know what I'm up to and…

 **Queen** **  
**…Is he a man?

 **Lady** **  
**More than a man my queen.

 **Queen** **  
**He is dashing, I must admit.

 **Lady** **  
**He killed my father. For that I tried to kill him. I spent time in prison for  
my attempt. Do you know what they do to a woman in prison?

 **Queen** **  
**In deed.

 **Lady** **  
**May I enquire why does the queen want D'Artagnan dead?

 **Queen** **  
**Oh no, not D'Artagnan, Porthos.

 **Lady** **  
**Porthos, he is a buffoon, you could dispatch him easily.

 **Queen** **  
**Not as easily as you would think. He is great amongst the Musketeers and with the  
other three, he is… unapproachable.

 **Lady** **  
**But if I kill D'Artagnan in the process…

 **Queen** **  
**…A bonus. Worthy of a greater payment than originally deemed.

 **Lady** **  
**Which leads me to my next question, what does the queen think Porthos  
is worth?

 **Queen** **  
**He was caught with my daughter.

 **Lady** **  
**Then… a handsome sum for his head.

 **Queen** **  
**A thousand pounds for Porthos and another thousand if D'Artagnan dies  
in the process.

 **Lady** **  
**A worthy amount for a worthy task.

 **Queen** **  
**Can you do it?

 **Lady** **  
**I failed once…

 **Queen** **  
**You did.

 **Lady** **  
**…But I will not fail again.

 **Queen** **  
**I have no doubt, your reputation precedes you.

 **55 INT: Small Village – Mid day – Clear - Sunny – Warm**

A group of Lou-ise' men and Lou-ise with them. They go from  
town to town looking wreaking havoc as they go for Porthos.  
D'Artagnan walks out of a local pub just in time to meet with  
Lou-ise and his men. Like a dear in headlights, D'Artagnan stops.  
Lou-ise is as shocked. He draws his sword…

 **Lou-ise** **  
**That man, apprehend him that is D'Artagnan!

D'Artagnan pulls his sword and duels with several of the men…

 **(Choreograph)**

D'Artagnan moves gracefully using everything available to aid in  
his defense against the mass of royal guards. Aramis and Athos  
are close by. They see that D'Artagnan is battling and outnumbered.  
They jump in giving D'Artagnan an advantage.

 **(Choreograph)**

A couple of the royal guards are run through. Athos sustains an injury.  
D'Artagnan and Aramis must end the battle because of Athos' injury  
and escape with they're friend.

They disappear momentarily and then appear again on horseback.  
They ride past the guards, knocking some of them down in the process.

 **43 EXT: Misc spot in the woods**

They stop once deep in the woods sure that they haven't been followed.  
D'Artagnan tends to Athos' wound.

 **Aramis** **  
**D'Artagnan, who were they?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**The one was Lou-ise, the queens head soldier. The others must have been royal  
soldiers under him.

 **Athos** **  
**Do you think they were looking for Porthos?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**My guess.

 **Aramis** **  
**To capture us is to find Porthos.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**My guess.

D'Artagnan finishes binding Athos' wound. The three remount  
their horses.

 **Aramis** **  
**Then we have more to worry about than I thought.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Yes. The queen is a devious type. She will most assuredly incorporate the assistance  
of anyone she can to bring Porthos down.

 **Athos** **  
**To justice you mean.

 **Aramis** **  
**Her justice is not justice.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**I agree. The queen is evil and full of hate for the musketeers. One must  
understand her kind of justice.

 **Aramis** **  
**Then the musketeers need to know of this.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Not just yet my friend. We must determine who of the musketeers would stand  
in defiance of the queen to save Porthos.

 **Athos** **  
**Subject to the queen.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Subject to the queen. There is a queen's sup with the Musketeers tomorrow  
night, we will attend and indiscriminately figure out who we can trust.

 **56 INT: Palace – the lady's bedroom**

Lady De Winter is discussing plans to catch Porthos with her  
confidant the Bishop.

 **Lady** **  
**D'Artagnan knows where Porthos is.

 **Charles** **  
**Do you think my lady?

 **Lady** **  
**I'm sure of it. We must find D'Artagnan.

The queen knocks at the door. Charles opens it.

 **Charles** **  
** _ **Bows**_ _ **  
**_My queen.

 **Queen** **  
**I'm sure.

Charles stands as the queen passes him to speak to the lady.

 **Queen Cont.** **  
**Have you determined how you are to go about killing Porthos?

 **Lady** **  
**Killing him, no ma'am. I will bring him to you, you will decide his fate.

 **Queen** **  
**Very well.

 **Lady** **  
** _ **Ponders**_ _ **  
**_I must find D'Artagnan.

 **Queen** **  
** _ **Thinking**_ _ **  
**_There is a meal, a dinner for the Musketeers tomorrow night.

 **Lady** **  
** _ **Ponders**_ _ **  
**_It will be a place to start. Will they allow women there?

 **Queen** **  
**Yes, if you don't mind being the subject of the night.

 **Lady** **  
**I have been before and I have friends who would assist me. Can  
anyone attend?

 **Queen** **  
**Not really, just royalty, women, and Musketeers.

 **Lady** **  
**Then how will I enter?

 **Queen** **  
**That I am not sure of.

 **Lady** **  
**What is the dinner for?

 **Queen** **  
**I sup them occasionally as a way of having them believe that I am faithful to them.  
And they, faithful to me.

 **Lady** **  
**Good they will be expecting women, I will need help.

 **Queen** **  
**I will give you a detachment of my soldiers.  
 _ **C.S.**_ _ **  
**_If D'Artagnan sees you…

 **Lady** **  
**He is in love with me, he will not react.

 **Queen** **  
**And you, are you in love with him?

The Lady blushes.

 **Lady** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_…Yes… I am but I would kill him just the same for what he has done to me.

 **Queen** **  
**Good.

 **57 INT: Dark dinner hall – evening – near the palace**

All the musketeers are making marry. There's plenty of ale and  
food. The queen enters. They all stop and bow.

 **Queen** **  
**As you were.

They stand and continue to frolic. The queen looks around, there  
are women there but she does not see Lady De Winter. Soon, the  
Lady enters, there are two other women with her. They are as  
stunning as she is. The men warm up to them quickly and they  
to the men. They are there to find Athos and Aramis and hold  
them back, distract them. But they are unsuccessful.

D'Artagnan, Athos and Aramis, sit non-nonchalantly in the rear  
of the hall watching all that goes on. D'Artagnan sees Lady  
De Winter and points her out to the others. The other two look.  
They see her. They look back at him. D'Artagnan gets up to  
go to her when Aramis stops him. D'Artagnan smiles and winks  
at Aramis. Aramis lets him go.

The Lady De Winter sees him coming, smiles and waits for him to  
approach. The queen sees this also.

 **58 EXT: In the trees – in the dark somewhat cool of the night – Outside the hall**

Someone hiding in the dark watches as Lady De Winter's men  
cautiously position themselves near the entrance to the hall.

 **57 INT: Inside the dinner hall**

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Leans on the bar next to the Lady**_ _ **  
**_And to what do I owe this pleasure?

 **Lady** **  
**Why D'Artagnan, whatever do you mean?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Please, you expect me to think that you just decided to come and  
enjoy all this?

 **Lady** **  
**Of Course not. I heard you might be here.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**From who, I told no one that I would be here.

 **Lady** **  
**The musketeers, all for one and so on. I just figured you'd be here.

She looks around.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Are you looking for my friends?

She looks at him.

 **Lady** **  
**Why… no… I was just looking around.

She turns her attention back to him.

 **Lady Cont.** **  
**D'Artagnan, we should leave this place, get caught up.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Should we now?

 **Lady** **  
**Of Course, it has been too long.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**And where should we go?

 **Lady** **  
** _ **Ponders**_ _ **  
**_Why, we should just walk.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**In such a dangerous place?

 **Lady** **  
**D'Artagnan is a gallant fighter, I would have no fear.

D'Artagnan makes eye contact with Aramis.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Indeed, no one would dare. Shall we?

D'Artagnan begins to walk out with her. Aramis finds Athos and  
they make their way through the crowd of Musketeers to find out  
who is with them and then to the exit

 **Athos** **  
** _ **To Aramis**_ _ **  
**_I hope this doesn't take too long.

(This is where Athos grows up to be a musketeer) FLASH BACK:

 **58 INT: Athos family home – morning – dining room**

 **Athos** **  
**Father, my friends and I are going to ride horses in the field

 **MR. ATHOS IE FATHER** **  
**Sure Athos.  
 _ **C.S.**_ _ **  
**_Honey can I get a riding crop for Athos?

A voice from another room.

 **MRS. ATHOS I.E. MOTHER I.E. HONEY** **  
**Asle, can you get Athos a riding crop?

 **ASLE (AZ ILL)** **  
** _ **Young French girl accent**_ _ **  
**_I would have to order some miss, we're out right now.

 **58b INT: Dining room**

 **Mr. Athos** **  
**Athos, can you ride without…

Suddenly the noise of a crash!

 **Mr. Athos cont.** **  
** _ **Alarmed**_ _ **  
**_…What was that noise?

A scream from another room. It sounds like Asle. Mr. Athos runs  
to the front room.

 **59 INT: Athos' home – front room**

Four men with swords out, stand just inside the door. Asle who  
answered the door was killed, stabbed upon opening the door.

Mr. Athos pulls his sword but he's no match for the man that  
he challenges. The man runs him through. Athos is 15 and  
very good with the sword. He runs one of the men through  
but another gets him. Athos falls injured.

Mrs. Athos comes in and screams. Two of Athos' sisters come  
down the stairs. One older, LA BIN and one younger LA TUR.  
The older one screams.

 **Athos** **  
** _ **Calls out**_ _ **  
**_No, leave them!

He looks over, his father lays dead.

The four men go into action, three of them stab Mrs. Athos. She  
falls to the floor dead. The two girls run back up the stairs. The  
little one falls as she's running away.

 **60 INT: Athos home – upstairs**

Two of the men go up the stairs after the two girls. The little  
one is caught and stabbed. Athos can do nothing and is beyond  
devastated.

 **61 INT: Athos home – upstairs hallway**

The older one locks herself in her room.

One man busts her door open. La Tur is fourteen and quite  
attractive. The man that busts her door open gets pummeled  
by thrown objects and must close the door again to keep from  
getting hit.

A second man runs up beside him. They break into La Tur's  
room together.

 **62 INT: La Tur's room**

She's out of ammunition. She tries to use her bed as a barricade  
but it's of little use.

 **INSERT:**

The first man stabs her shoulder.

The second man throws her on the bed, rapes her, and then  
cuts her throat with a knife. The other man just stands there  
and laughs.

 **59 INT: Athos home – downstairs – main room**

Athos lies bleeding. He can see his little sister dead at the top  
of the stairs. His mother and father lay dead near him. The four  
men gather at the door.

 **GANG MAN 1** **  
** _ **Sees Athos**_ _ **  
**_That one stabbed me, and he's still alive.

He goes over to stab Athos again but the gang leader stops him.

 **LA SHU** **  
**No, let him go. He'll bleed to death anyway.  
 _ **Looks at Athos**_ _ **  
**_Tell your friends, your father didn't like the way the queen was doing  
things. He dared to defy her. The penalty for defying the queen and her  
laws is death. You tell em that, if you live long enough.

The four men leave.

 **43 EXT: Through the woods – day – cool – on the ground**

Athos crawls, injured to a neighbor's house. Another well to do  
family. The Flath's home. The husband, a good man but an older  
man isn't sure about the stance that Athos' father has taken  
against the queen.

 **63 INT: Flath home – main room**

It would interfere with his class of living also. But he knows  
that at the same time, the queen's laws are not fair to the not  
so privileged. A thump, Mrs. Flath opens the door. When she  
sees the injured Athos she becomes frantic but pulls him inside.  
Mr. Flath comes to the room and sees Athos being hauled to the  
couch by Mrs. Flath.

 **MR. FLATH** **  
**What is he…  
 _ **Looks around**_ _ **  
**_…doing here?

 **MRS. FLATH** **  
**He's injured, can't you see?

Athos moans but is in-coherent.

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**If anyone finds out he's here we'll be killed for sure.

 **Mrs. Flath** **  
**What makes you think that?

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**His father is working against the queen, obviously someone has attacked  
him because of it. We need to get him home as soon as possible.

 **Mrs. Flath** **  
**If he has a home, why do you think he came here?

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**I don't know, he likes to ride horses, maybe they attacked him close  
to here.

 **Mrs. Flath** **  
**Then go to Athos' house and tell them that he's here.

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**I… oh, very well.

He leaves out the main entrance.

 **43 EXT: Woods – day – path**

Mr. Flath walking through the woods towards Athos home.

 **44 EXT: Outside the main entrance of Athos' home**

Mr. Flath knocks. No answer. He looks down, a trail of blood,  
probably from where Athos dragged himself away. He tests  
the door, it's open. He cautiously goes in.

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**Hello, is any…

…Then he sees Athos father and mother laying dead on the floor.

 **Mr. Flath cont.** **  
**…Oh my god.

He starts to make his way up the stairs when he sees the little  
girl. He turns her over. Her eyes are open but she's dead.  
Someone stabbed her. He starts to whimper and closes the  
little girl's eyes.

He lays her down gently and walks down the hall checking each room.

 **61 INT: Athos home – upstairs hall**

 **62 INT: Athos Home – La Turs room**

He finally goes into La Tur's room. There are signs of a  
struggle but he doesn't see anything at first. As he looks  
around the bed…

 **INSERT**

…he sees the foot of a young girl. Her throat has been slit. There  
is blood all over and a clear indication that she'd been raped.

 **Cut:**

 **63 INT: Flath home – main room**

Mr. Flath enters, it's clear he is upset and has been crying. Mrs.  
Flath runs to him and raps her arms around him as he almost  
passes out on a nearby chair. He looks at Athos passed out  
on the couch.

 **Mrs. Flath** **  
**Husband, what did you see?

 **Mr. Flath** **  
** _ **Looks up at her**_ _ **  
**_All of them, they're all dead. Even the little girl.

 **Mrs. Flath** **  
** _ **Gasps**_ _ **  
**_Oh my god. We have to help him now.

 **Mr. Flath** **  
** _ **Thinks, gets angry**_ _ **  
**_Yes, the queen has gone too far this time. Too Far.

 **54 INT: Palace – queens quarters – later in the day**

The queen is talking to the gang leader.

 **Queen** **  
**I didn't mean for you to kill all of them.

 **La Shu** **  
** _ **Snaky**_ _ **  
**_Forgive me malady, but when we kill, we kill all.

 **Queen** **  
**I should have you killed. If anyone finds out what you did, there will  
be hell to pay.

 **La Shu** **  
**But your majesty, you did not…

 **Queen** **  
**…No… I did not tell you not to kill the rest of the family. There  
was a little girl…

 **La Shu** **  
** _ **Pouts and kneels**_ _ **  
**_We… killed her to Malady.

 **Queen** **  
** _ **Reaches in her pocket**_ _ **  
**_I suppose it's just as well, no one can talk now.

 **La Shu** **  
** _ **He looks up smiling**_ _ **  
**_Dead men tell no tails Malady.

As he's bowed, she walks around him, she pulls a knife and holds  
it to his throat. Then she hands him a leather pouch with money  
in it. He takes it. She slowly pulls the knife away.

 **Queen** **  
**There's more, if and when I need you again.

 **La Shu** **  
** _ **Backing up**_ _ **  
**_Thank you malady, thank you.

 **35 EXT: Front of palace entrance – early evening – clear – cool**

Mr. Flath and several men on horseback are at the main entrance  
to the palace. A voice overhead.

 **VOICE OVERHEAD** **  
**What say you?

 **Mr. Flath** **  
** _ **Yells back up**_ _ **  
**_We wish council with the queen.

The Voice disappears for a moment. Then comes back.

 **Voice Overhead** **  
**The queen is busy, she is not taking council right now.

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**Tell her, it's urgent.

The voice disappears again, then returns.

 **Voice overhead** **  
**The queen has requested that you leave and come back another day.

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**But it's urgent?

 **Voice overhead** **  
**A threat to the queen?

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**Well, no.

 **Voice overhead** **  
**Then be gone with you or be hung.

 **Mr. Flath** **  
** _ **Looks at others with him**_ _ **  
**_Hung, she must be very busy.

 **MAN1 WITH FLATH** **  
** _ **With a lower voice, with Flath**_ _ **  
**_She must be near, he wasn't gone that long.

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**You heard him gentlemen, we must go for now…  
 _ **He gets louder**_ _ **  
**_…but we'll be back.

They ride off.

 **54 INT: Palace – queens court**

She is alone with the Voice overhead.

 **Queen** **  
**What do you think they wanted?

 **Voice overhead** **  
**I don't know malady.

 **Queen** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_Call for the gang leader.

 **63 INT: Flath home – day – several days later**

A knock at the Flath's door. Mr. Flath answers it. It's one  
of the men that was with him.

 **PIEN** **  
**Flath.

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**Pien, come in.

Pien walks in.

 **Pien** **  
**Flath, there's rumors floaten around.

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**What rumors?

 **Pien** **  
**That the queen is on the rampage. She's having people killed that might  
defy her. I believe she's coming this way.

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**Just Rumors?

 **Pien** **  
**So far.

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**There are always rumors about the queen, I'm sure that's what they are.

 **Pien** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_Do you think so?

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**Yes, yes. You go home to your wife and tell her to stop spreading rumors.

 **Pien** **  
**Not my wife.

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**Of course not.

He ushers Pien back out. Mrs. Flath enters the room.

 **Mrs. Flath** **  
**Who was that?

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**Pien, he thinks the queen is on a rampage.

 **Mrs. Flath** **  
**Do you think someone knows the boy is here?

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**I doubt it, she's just on the rampage, nothing new. She will not  
bother us.

 **Mrs. Flath** **  
**Good.

 **64 EXT: Outside near the flath home – early evening**

 **Several years later:**

Mr. Flath and some men are training Athos. Who has become  
very good at fencing, they are sparring. Athos is fending off  
several of them. They're all laughing. Truth is, none of them  
can even get close to Athos.

 **Mr. Flath** **  
** _ **Out of breath**_ _ **  
**_Ok Athos that's enough, I don't want my friends to have a heart attack.

 **FRIEND 2** **  
** _ **Out of breath**_ _ **  
**_Us?

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**Come my friends, we will have a drink.

 **Athos** **  
**Me too?

 **Mrs. Flath** **  
**No Athos, you are not old enough.

 **Athos** **  
** _ **Pouts**_ _ **  
**_Ah.

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**Sorry Athos, maybe next time.

The men all go into Mr. Flath's outbuilding for a drink of ale.

 **65 INT: Flath outbuilding – inside – early night – lamp lite**

They're laughing it up, drinking their ale's when Pien walks in.

 **Mr. Flath** **  
** _ **Cheerful**_ _ **  
**_Pien, come in.

Pien stands there for a moment, no expression on his face, he  
doesn't respond to Mr. Flath's request. Mr. Flath and the other  
men watch him for a second. Then… Pien cough's up blood and  
falls flat on his face. Flath and his friends run up to him very  
concerned.

 **Flath's Friend 2** **  
**He's been stabbed. It looks like a saber wound.

Suddenly bullets pierce the walls and windows. One of Flath's  
friends goes down. The rest take cover. Fire begins to burn  
around them but outside.

 **Mr. Flath** **  
** _ **Yelling**_ _ **  
**_They're trying to burn us out!

Flath draws his sword, climbs up into the rafters of the building.  
Walks across the rafters to the front of the building and crashes  
through.

 **66 EXT: Near Flath outbuilding – night**

Men with torches all around, some on horseback. Some have  
crossbows and torches.

 **66b EXT: Flath crashes out the top of his out building**

Flath comes crashing out of the top of the building which surprises  
the attackers. He's a fairly big man and takes out several of them  
at once. He knocks two men off their horses.

This gives the men inside a chance to come out fighting. Another  
crossbow, hit's one of Flath's friends but it's not enough to knock  
him down. He continues to fight.

They're outnumbered but not by much and they're all very good  
swordsmen. Just as the attackers seem to be getting the upper  
hand, Athos rides in, he knocks a couple of the attackers down.

He fires a pistol, killing one attacker and fires a crossbow injuring  
another. He jumps off his horse, sword drawn. Two men attack  
him. Like a gallant swashbuckler he fights the two men off and  
takes one of their swords.

Now he has two. Athos jumps in and kills off several of the attackers  
giving Flath and his friends the upper hand. Athos is fast and  
unstoppable. Flath watches him. Soon all of Flath's friends  
have bested their attackers and watch Athos. Athos is fighting  
off the last four.

 **(Choreograph)**

Athos fights like no one has ever seen, he disarms two of the  
men, runs them through, raps a rope around another and  
causes a horse to run off pulling the man by his neck. He  
bends his sword on the chest of the last pinning him against  
a tree.

All the attackers are lying injured or dead. Flath and his friends  
are all ok.

 **Athos** **  
** _ **As he's cutting men down**_ _ **  
**_…And this is for my mother, father and my two sisters!

They join Athos and the one living attacker that he has pinned.

 **Athos cont.** **  
**Who are you, who sent you to do this? Talk or I'll run  
you through.

The man maintains his silence. Athos stabs his right arm. Then  
pins the man again. The man cries out in pain.

 **Athos cont.** **  
**Tell bastard or I'll stab your other arm.

The man remains quiet. Athos jabs his other arm. The man  
cries out in pain.

 **Athos cont.** **  
**The next one is through your heart.

 **Attacker 1** **  
**How do I know you'll let me live if I tell you.

 **Athos** **  
**You don't!

Athos cocks back as though he's going to thrust the sword  
through the man's chest but the man calls out hoping to  
sway Athos' jab.

 **ATTACKER 1** **  
**Ok!

 **Athos** **  
**Ok what?

 **Attacker 1** **  
** _ **Looks at the others**_ _ **  
**_We were following orders but the orders came from the queen.

 **Flath** **  
**Why?

 **Attacker 1** **  
**I… I'm not sure, something about her wanting to make sure that certain  
people in the village don't go against her.

 **Flath** **  
** _ **To the others**_ _ **  
**_Sounds to me like the queen has become paranoid.

 **FLATH FRIEND 3** **  
**Suddenly?

 **Athos** **  
** _ **To the man**_ _ **  
**_I'll let you go. If these men wish to pursue you, I cannot stop them.

Athos pulls back his sword and releases the man. Holding his  
right arm, he hesitates for a moment and then starts running.

 **Athos cont.** **  
** _ **Yells to the man**_ _ **  
**_Tell the queen, I'll kill her if she ever does this again.

 **Flath** **  
** _ **To Athos**_ _ **  
**_Athos, you don't want to say things like that. That will surely get  
you killed.

 **Montage:**

Athos has to fight off more attacks by the queens soldiers.  
Sometimes he has help from Flath and his men, sometimes  
he is alone but always victorious and a menous to the queen.

 **End montage:**

 **67 EXT: Outside palace**

One day Athos is fighting outside the palace. He's about to  
come into the main entrance. Two guards meet him with pistols.  
He sheaths his sword, smiles and walks away.

 **Athos** **  
**I'll be back, you can count on it.

 **68 EXT: Next morning – in front of Flath's house – sunny – cool**

The queen and a large entourage ride up in front of Flath's  
house. Fancy carriages, fancy military horses and the like.

 **63 INT: Flath house main room looking out**

Mrs. Flath is looking out.

 **Mrs. Flath** **  
** _ **To Mr. Flath looking over her shoulder**_ _ **  
**_What do you think she wants?

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**I… I'm not sure.

 **68b EXT: In front of Flath's house – sunny – cool**

 **QUEENS ASSISTANT** **  
** _ **He reads a scroll, yelling out**_ _ **  
**_To the young man that resides at this place of residence. It has been made  
clear to the queen that the young man is quite able.

He is therefore called to join the queens musketeers if he so chooses.

 **63b INT: Flath home – main room looking out**

 **Mr. Flath** **  
** _ **Looks at his wife**_ _ **  
**_Do you think that Athos would like to join the musketeers?

Just then, Athos goes running by.

 **68 EXT: Flath home – out front**

He runs out the front door and up to the crowd of the queen's  
entourage. He kneels. Someone knights him and he walks off  
with the entourage. Mr. and Mrs. Flath come outside. Mr. Flath  
has his arm around Mrs. Flath

 **Mrs. Flath** **  
**Is it a trick?

 **Mr. Flath** **  
**I don't think so. I think she would rather have him for her than  
against her.

Mrs. Flath laughs.

 **Mrs. Flath** **  
** _ **Looks at him**_ _ **  
**_Just like the proud father.

Mr. Flath looks back at her and kisses her. They both watch  
as Athos marches to the palace to become a musketeer.

End Athos story

 **Next scene:**

D'Artagnan and the Lady exit the hall together.

 **69 EXT: Outside the hall**

 **70 EXT: Misc street near palace – night - cool**

D'Artagnan and the lady walk down the dimly lit street  
toward the center of the city. As they walk…

 **Lady** **  
**Do you remember where you put me the last time we were together?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Ponders**_ _ **  
**_Let's see, I believe you ended up… in the hands of the Duke of  
Buckingham whom you tried to kill.

 **Lady** **  
**Do you know what they do to women in prison?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Yes, and you must have escaped as they would have kept a fine  
woman as yourself as long as they could.

 **Lady** **  
**They tried.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**…And they paid no doubt?

It's dark but there is enough light to see a fountain and statue  
of King Louis XIII in the middle of the main square in Paris.  
She quickly and swooning jumps in front of D'Artagnan and  
backs him up to the wall of the fountain.

 **Lady** **  
**…Dearly!

D'Artagnan is still in love with her. And she him for that matter.

 **Lady Cont.** **  
** _ **A sensual smile**_ _ **  
**_Would you like to know what they did to me in prison?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Thinks, still smiling**_ _ **  
**_No, not really.

 **Lady** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_Well, maybe I'll tell you anyway, or better yet, show you!

 **INSERT:**

She pulls out a knife and tries to stab D'Artagnan who is ready  
for it. He grabs her arm before she can thrust the knife. He  
swings her around and up against the wall of the fountain.

Holding her hand, with the knife, up still, he kisses her.  
She enjoys that. A voice from behind him. It's the Royal  
French Guard, about twenty of them.

 **Royal French Guardsman Captain** **  
**You are under arrest D'Artagnan.

A sword is poking D'Artagnan in the back.

D'Artagnan has no intention of going quietly, he can see  
that he's out-numbered but he knocks away the sword  
of the captain and at the same time pulling his own.

He's quick, he makes a move to attack. The Lady thrusts  
her knife but the knife plunges deep into the chest of another  
guard. D'Artagnan fights enough to get clear of the guard  
but there are too many and surround him before he can escape.

Suddenly, someone else is in the fight. It's Aramis and Athos.  
Swords drawn, they dual with the guard, dispatching or running  
them through one by one. The captain sees that his guards are  
no match for the Three Musketeers, mounts his horse and rides  
quickly for more help.

 **71 EXT: Edge of woods near Paris**

As he nears the end of the city near the palace, Porthos is waiting  
in the dark, jumps out and knocks the captain off his horse. The  
Captain is bruised but ok. He gets up and tries to pull his sword  
but Porthos stops him.

 **Porthos** **  
**That would not be wise Captain.

 **Captain of the Guard** **  
**Porthos, I'd know you anywhere.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Looks at him more now**_ _ **  
**_You, you were a Musketeer!

 **Cotg** **  
**And you are a bumbling slob and a drunk and if you let go my hand  
I'll run you through.

Porthos thinks about this. The young man obviously needs to be  
taught a lesson. So Porthos lets him go and backs up. The  
captain draws his sword. Porthos doesn't. The Captain charges  
at him, Porthos simply throws him.

The Captain charges again, and again Porthos throws him.

 **Cotg** **  
**Draw your sword you pig!

Now Porthos is offended, he doesn't like being called a pig.  
He draws his sword.

 **Porthos** **  
**Pig?

The captain charges again. He's actually pretty good with the  
sword and catches Porthos by surprise. The captain causes  
Porthos to lose his sword. And pins Porthos against a tree  
at sword point. Porthos won't make the same mistake twice.

A quick move and the captain's sword is stuck in the tree.  
Porthos swats the captain on the behind causing great pain.  
The Captain dislodges his sword and charges Porthos again.  
This time Porthos duals with him, actually testing his abilities.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **While dueling**_ _ **  
**_Captain, you are quite good, you should have stayed with the  
Musketeers.

 **Cotg** **  
** _ **Tiring**_ _ **  
**_And you are quite good. Better than I had anticipated.

Porthos finally runs him through. The Captain goes down  
holding his side where Porthos stabbed him. Porthos looks  
down at him.

 **Porthos** **  
**You'll live.

Porthos jumps on the Captains horse and rides into town.

 **72 EXT: Night – fountain – brawl**

Porthos rides into the fray, the horse takes out several of  
the guard. Porthos dives off the horse and pummels two  
of the guard. He knocks them both out with a good punch,  
pulls his sword and runs another through. There's only  
three left, they run.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Breathing hard**_ _ **  
**_They'll be back.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Breathing hard as well**_ _ **  
**_Yes, they will, and I can't help thinking this is all because of me.

 **Athos** **  
** _ **Breathing hard**_ _ **  
**_It is because of you, you oaf!

Porthos is about to get his back up when Aramis stands in  
front of Athos and D'Artagnan stays the hand of Porthos.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**This will get us nowhere. We must ride back to the safe house. And…

D'Artagnan looks around…

 **D'Artagnan Cont.** **  
**…Where is the Lady De Winter?

 **Athos** **  
** _ **Mounting his horse**_ _ **  
**_Ran most likely. We must leave also… now!

Athos rides off. The other three mount their horses and ride  
off as well. As they're riding out of the city D'Artagnan notices  
a man faltering in the dark woods.

 **71 EXT: Edge of the city – night – dark - cool**

 **Porthos** **  
**Leave him D'Artagnan, he is the captain.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Where is his horse?

As they ride, D'Artagnan sees that Porthos is riding the  
Captains horse.

 **D'Artagnan Cont.** **  
**Great, add horse theft to the charges.

They ride off. In the mean time…

 **73 EXT Different street – near the oprah hall – Dark – cool**

People are dressed warmly but for the occasion. Several Carriages  
pull up dropping off the privileged ones.

Lady De Winter runs out from a dark alley between buildings,  
climbs aboard one of the carriages, stabs the driver and pushes  
him off. We hear screams and shouts of protest.

She takes off with the carriage at full speed. There are two  
horses but they're in good shape and carry the carriage quickly.

 **43 EXT: Woods – dark road – late night**

Lady de Winter drives the coach wildly trying to catch up with  
D'Artagnan and his gang. She rides furiously, frantically,  
testing the limits of the stability of the carriage.

 **74 EXT: More shots of the Lady de winter riding wildly through the woods**

She finally catches up with them. Still far enough back, they  
don't see or hear her. She can see lamp light through the  
windows of the little cottage. She strays the carriage off  
into the woods.

 **13 INT: D'artagnans cottage in the woods – cool – night**

The four sit around the table, licking their wounds and  
catching their breath.

 **Porthos** **  
**I think we're safe.

 **Athos** **  
**Yes, for the moment. They saw us ride off into the woods.

 **Aramis** **  
**This place will be hard to find but in time, they will find it.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Then we must be ready but for the time being we must rest.

They all agree and go to different parts of the cottage to sleep.  
D'Artagnan and Porthos are headed to the main living area.  
Aramis and Athos ascend to rooms upstairs. D'Artagnan uses  
his lamp to look around.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Porthos, from what I can see, you have done marvelously with  
this place.

 **Porthos** **  
**Oh, thank you D'Artagnan. Unfortunately when it is light out you may  
see more blemishes.

D'Artagnan lays down.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Closes his eyes**_ _ **  
**_Of that, I've no doubt but anything is an improvement.

 **Porthos** **  
**Oh, you will find this place much improved my friend. A place  
to bring a woman.

Porthos is lying down. He closes his eyes.

 **13 INT: Morning – all are sleeping – sunny – warm**

A voice comes from the woods near the cottage.

 **Lady OC** **  
** _ **Calling to those in the cottage**_ _ **  
**_D'Artagnan, I followed you last night. And I'm here with some of my friends  
from the Queens army!

They're all still lying down but their eyes are wide open

 **Lady OC cont.** **  
**Would you like to come out and play?

Athos comes down the stairs with Aramis close behind. D'Artagnan  
is running toward the back door. He looks up at Athos.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Sarcastically**_ _ **  
**_She must have ran?

D'Artagnan continues to run to the kitchen

 **Athos** **  
**Who knows women?

The four men gather near D'Artagnan near the back window.  
Some of the queen's army are cautiously working their way  
around the cottage.

 **75 INT: Cottage - kitchen**

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Quickly, take up positions around the main floor of the house. Aramis,  
cover the windows in the back room. Athos, cover the door and  
windows in the front room.

 **Porthos** **  
**And me?

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Follow Athos.

 **Athos** **  
**Why must he follow me?

 **Porthos** **  
**Because you're going to be my wall to hide behind if anyone attacks.

 **Athos** **  
** _ **Runs to his position**_ _ **  
**_Oh great!

Porthos follows.

 **75 INT: Cottage – back window looking out**

D'Artagnan has a pistol. As one of the queen's men runs past,  
D'Artagnan sticks his head out the back door and guns the  
man down.

 **(Choreograph)**

More come now. The fight is on. Pistols fire into the house.  
Then men charge the house.

 **76 INT: D'Artagnan's cottage – Back room**

Some try to come in the back window. Aramis runs them  
through as they climb in. He smiles then jabs.

 **13 INT: D'Artagnan's cottage – front room**

A man on horseback nears the front door.

 **Athos** **  
**Porthos, the door!

Porthos opens the front door. The man shoots and hits  
Porthos in the arm. This aggravates Porthos. He immediately  
grabs the horses bit harness with his other hand and pulls  
the horse in. The man on the horse is clothes lined by the  
upper portion of the door frame.

He falls off the back of his horse.

 **12 EXT: D'Artagnan's cottage out front**

Porthos goes out and runs him through. More men attack.  
Porthos defends himself with his sword, holding one arm and  
fighting like a mad man with the other.

D'Artagnan opens the back door, gets on the horse that  
Porthos has acquired and rides out the back door quickly.  
Porthos watches as D'Artagnan takes the horse.

 **77\. EXT: Behind the cottage – woods – morning**

D'Artagnan rides out cutting down the men that are attacking  
from the back of the cottage. Porthos makes his way back  
in the cottage and closes the door on the men he's fighting with.

 **13 INT: Cottage – front room**

 **77 EXT: Cottage – back yard**

D'Artagnan, being on the horse, is a force to be reckoned with.  
Two follow close behind but on foot. (Porthos and Athos also  
run out the back door and join the Frey, cutting down the  
queens men).

Aramis dives out the back window surprising the attackers. It  
seems that the odds are overwhelming for the four men. But  
just as the four are about to give in, the queen's musketeers  
join in. The ones D'Artagnan, Athos and Aramis spoke to at  
the dinner.

Soon the queen's army is overrun and those that remain run off.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **To the captain and out of breath**_ _ **  
**_Sir, you could not have come at a better time.

 **CAPTAIN OF THE MUSKETEERS** **  
**We heard the shots or we never would have found this place.

Athos and Aramis join D'Artagnan, completely out of breath.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**We are forever in your debt sir.

 **Cotm** **  
**Nonsense, we are all with you D'Artagnan. And those that weren't are  
detained though there are few.

The three are bent over trying to catch their breath and patting  
each other on the back for a job well done. D'Artagnan looks up.  
No Porthos.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Yells**_ _ **  
**_Porthos, it is over, you can come out now.

They're all smiling.

 **D'Artagnan cont.** **  
**Porthos?

They look at each other and the captain. The three  
run into the cottage.

 **75 INT: Cottage – kitchen**

 **D'Artagnan** **  
** _ **Calls out**_ _ **  
**_Porthos!

The other two come back to D'Artagnan after checking  
the rest of the house.

 **Athos** **  
**He is not here.

 **Aramis** **  
**They must have taken him.

The captain has entered in the mean time. He hears and runs out.

 **77 EXT: Woods – back of cottage**

 **Cotm** **  
** _ **To some of his men**_ _ **  
**_You four, ride toward the palace as quick as you can and try to find Porthos.

 **Musketeer 1** **  
**Sir!

The four ride off quickly.

 **Cotm** **  
**If he is out there, those men will find him.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Just the same…  
 _ **To Athos and Aramis**_ _ **  
**_To our horses, we must also look for Porthos.

They run for their horses. But they're horses are gone.

 **D'Artagnan Cont.** **  
**Great!

 **Cotm** **  
**Climb on with my men, we'll ride you to the palace.

The three hop on with other musketeers and they all ride off quickly.

 **78 EXT: Misc woods – road toward palace**

As the team of four musketeers is riding quickly to find Porthos  
they are ambushed. A large contingent of the queen's army has  
trapped them and cut them down. They are all killed.

 **74 EXT: Misc woods – road to palace – queens Musketeers**

The musketeer army is riding quickly through the woods when  
the captain sees his men slaughtered on the road before them.  
He stops everyone and climbs off.

Several of his higher ranking men and the Three Musketeers join him  
looking at the slaughtered men.

 **Captain otm** **  
** _ **Angry**_ _ **  
**_Someone will pay.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**If we don't get to the palace soon, Porthos will pay.

 **79 INT: Palace – dongion – jail cells – dark and dank**

It takes eight men to hold Porthos and push him into a cell.  
They close the door behind him. He attempts to open it but  
to no avail. He gives up.

A voice comes to the door.

 **80 INT: Dongion - cell**

 **Queen** **  
** _ **From outside the cell**_ _ **  
**_Porthos.

Porthos sits and looks up at the door defeated.

 **Queen cont.** **  
**Porthos did you really think I would let you marry my daughter?

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Defeated**_ _ **  
**_I knew it would come to this.

 **Queen** **  
**And do you know why we brought you here?

 **Porthos** **  
**Of course, I was caught with your daughter.

 **Queen** **  
**I've a little secret for you.

 **Porthos** **  
**I know, I'm to hang or be guillotined.

 **Queen** **  
**No Porthos, that is not my secret although you will be guillotined soon.

 **Porthos** **  
**Then what is your secret?

 **Queen** **  
**My secret is… I'm not telling.

Porthos charges the cell door!

 **Porthos** **  
**Damn you!

The queen laughs as she walks away.

 **79 INT: Dungion – keeper**

The queen to the keeper.

 **Queen** **  
**Is that guillotine ready yet?

 **Keeper** **  
**I… I do not know malady.

 **Queen** **  
** _ **Frustrated**_ _ **  
**_Agh!

She runs off.

 **80 INT: Cell – Porthos**

Porthos hangs his head in defeat.

 **54 INT: Queens court – palace – day**

Lady de' Winter is waiting for the queen. Lou-ise is with  
her. The queen comes in with haste. She looks at the Loise.

 **Queen** **  
**Is the guillotine ready?

 **Lou-ise** **  
**Not yet malady, it's being…

 **Queen** **  
**…Go and speed them up you fool. The musketeers will come for  
him, I want him dead before they get here. Kill him yourself if you  
have to.

 **Lou-ise** **  
**Yes malady.

The captain runs off.

 **79 INT: Dungeon – cells**

Lou-ise arrives. The Keeper jumps up and comes to attention.

 **Keeper** **  
** _ **Comes to attention**_ _ **  
**_Sir!

 **Lou-ise** **  
**The queen has instructed me to kill Porthos myself.

He pulls out a knife.

 **80 INT: Cell – Porthos**

Porthos overhears and makes ready.

 **79 INT: Dungeon – Cells**

The keeper tries to warn him but it's too late. The captain opens  
the door to Porthos' cell and Porthos attacks him. Lou-ise tough  
but no match for the great Porthos.

The keeper has his sword out and a pistol. He fires at Porthos  
hitting him in the same arm. This just infuriates Porthos. The  
keeper tries to cut Porthos down with his sword.

Porthos is too good. The keeper misses, Porthos backhands  
the keeper knocking him to the ground. Porthos has the  
captain's sword and runs the keeper through.

Lou-ise comes to and jumps on Porthos' back. Porthos struggles  
at first, then backs up and smashes the captain between himself  
and a wall. Lou-ise is all but finished but challenges Porthos with  
a sword he has picked up. He misses and Porthos runs him  
through as well.

Porthos goes to the Keepers dead body and finds the keys to  
let himself out of the dungeon. He runs to the door and starts  
to unlock it.

 **50 INT: Misc. Room – Palace**

The queen hands Lady de Winter a small leather pouch with  
her payment inside. Lady de Winter dumps out the contents.

 **Lady de Winter** **  
**It's not all here!

 **Queen** **  
**You did not do what I asked, only part of it. You were supposed to  
kill D'Artagnan.

She turns and walks out of the room. The Lady de Winter  
pulls a knife and chases after her.

 **81 INT: Palace – Misc. corridor**

A contingent of men are waiting. They subdue the Lady de as she  
comes out of the room and hold her. The queen returns. She  
stands in front of the now captured Lady de.

 **Queen** **  
**Going to kill me after I paid you.

 **Lady** **  
**It's not all here!

 **Queen** **  
**I told you, kill D'Artagnan. And instead you try to kill me.

The Lady spits at the queen.

 **Queen Cont.** **  
**Take her to the dungeon and lock her up.

They begin to haul her off. She fights and screams in anger.

 **70 EXT: The Musketeers and The Three Musketeers – riding toward the palace**

The Three Musketeers now have horses and ride with the  
queen's Musketeers. They arrive at the palace.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Porthos is probably in the dungeon.

Athos and Aramis volunteer to go after him. They ride off.

 **82 INT: Palace – main hall**

A guard runs up to the queen. He bows.

 **QUEENS MAN 2** **  
**Malady!

 **Queen** **  
**What is it?

 **Queens man 2** **  
**Malady…  
 _ **He hesitates**_ _ **  
**_…Porthos has…  
 _ **Pause**_ _ **  
**_…escaped!

 **Queen** **  
**Escaped?

 **Qm2** **  
** _ **Continues to bow**_ _ **  
**_Yes Malady.

 **Queen** **  
**Find Lou-ise and…

 **Qm2** **  
**…I'm sorry Malady but… the captain is dead also. But Porthos has  
been shot, twice. He will die of bleeding in time.

 **Queen** **  
**Who's the next man in charge?

 **Qm2** **  
**I am Malady.

 **Queen** **  
**Then you just inherited his duties.

 **Qm2** **  
**Yes Malady.

 **Queen** **  
**I need a contingent most of my soldiers to escort me and my carriage  
to the king as soon as Porthos is dead.

 **83 INT: Misc corridor – darker**

Porthos is sneaking around, trying to find his way out of the  
palace. He hears something, someone is coming. There is a  
window nearby.

 **84 EXT: Outside palace – precarious place**

Porthos climbs out the window just as the contingent of men  
sees him. He jumps. He lands on an eve made of some  
material. He's sliding down when he grabs some of it.

It tares and he swings down toward another wall of the  
palace. He hits the wall. It knocks him for a loop. He lets  
go of the material, falls thirty feet or so and piles upon two  
of the queens guards. He snaps to and looks down at the  
two unconscious guards.

 **28 EXT: Palace court yard – Day – clear – cool - sunny**

 **Porthos** **  
**Broke my fall, I thank you.

He gets up and is about to run off when he hears someone  
knocking frantically at the door behind him. He tries to open  
the door but it's locked. He finds something and pries the  
door open. It's his love the princess Agnes. She jumps into  
his arms

 **Agnes** **  
**Porthos!

He flinches.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **In pain**_ _ **  
**_…What are you doing in there?

 **Agnes** **  
**My mother…  
 _ **C.S.**_ _ **  
**_…My love, you are hurt.

 **Porthos** **  
**I have been shot… twice.

He falls to the ground almost passing out from blood loss.

 **Agnes** **  
**Porthos, I… I…

Suddenly the queen's carriage and a contingent of soldiers ride up.

 **QM3** **  
** _ **Into the carriage**_ _ **  
**_He is almost dead Malady.

The leader and several of his men put Porthos and Agnes  
under arrest. Porthos can hardly walk. Several of them  
have to carry his heavy body. Porthos talks to Agnes as  
they're getting escorted back to the dungeon.

 **Porthos** **  
**Why, why would she lock you up, you are her daughter, it  
is I they want.

 **Agnes** **  
**Porthos, you are of royal blood. We can be married.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Laughs a little**_ _ **  
**_What are you talking about?

 **Agnes** **  
**You are the nephew of Sir Rally Quintess.

 **Porthos** **  
**Yes I know that.

 **Agnes** **  
**You are hiar to his land, hiar to a large quantity of land, almost a  
quarter of the south of France on the ocean.

 **Porthos** **  
**You must be joking.

Agnes smiles. They haul the two into the Palace.

 **82 INT: Palace – main room – decorem – bright**

As they're being hauled through the palace the Three Musketeers  
charge in. More of the queen's musketeers follow cutting down the  
detail of soldiers that are escorting Porthos and the Princess.

 **Agnes** **  
**After the queen, she is trying to bring a letter of detent to the  
King to acquire Porthos' inheritance.  
 _ **C.S. She looks down at Porthos**_ _ **  
**_Porthos, if you are alive she will not be given the land.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**What?

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Sickly**_ _ **  
**_I believe it might be true my friend.

(This is where Porthos grows up to be a musketeer)FLASH BACK:

 **85 EXT: Camera pans for a view of the mountain valley**

Porthos, a fat young child. Fairly well educated even though he  
is caught not going to school on occasion.

He steels food mostly. He loves to eat. The other kids tease  
him but if he gets in a scuffle he always wins. He doesn't  
know fencing at such a young age but everything around  
him becomes a weapon or blockade.

He's smart but he doesn't act like it. Always in trouble.  
Mother Porthos has him by his ear. They live in a  
mountain valley.

 **86 INT: Porthos home – main room**

 **Mother Porthos** **  
**…Porthos an officer came by today. Says you've been steeling  
food again.

 **Porthos** **  
**I can't help it mother, I'm always hungry.

She locks him in his room. She yells at the door.

 **Mother Porthos** **  
**You wait until your father gets home.

 **87 INT: Porthos home – Porthos' room**

His father walks in.

 **Father Porthos** **  
** _ **He slams the door**_ _ **  
**_Son, this is going to have to stop.

The father begins beating Porthos.

 **86 INT: Porthos home – main room**

Mother Porthos and the dog wince at the horrible noises  
coming from the other room.

 **88 EXT: Next day – mountainess – sunny – cool – morning**

Porthos is walking to school with his friends. One of them  
smacks him on his bum. He cries out. They know he got a  
beating again and his bum is sore.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Rubbing his bum**_ _ **  
**_Dang it Spenald, why must you do that?

 **Spenald** **  
**Stop eating so much and your father won't have to beat you.

Porthos sticks out his tongue. Spenald does the same. There  
are five of them. One is a young girl named Mina (Mee-nah).

 **MINA** **  
**Porthos, you are fat but you are very smart. Why must you always  
get in trouble?

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_Because I don't get enough to eat.

 **CATSHON** **  
**Looks like you get enough to eat to me.

All the kids laugh. Porthos chases Catshon

 **89 INT: School room**

Porthos is sneaking out again.

 **90 EXT: Mountain side – day – early – sunny – cool**

Porthos is in town. He spies out the local food stand. Unknown  
to him, the food stand tender has seen him before and  
knows he's there.

Porthos sneaks an apple. The food stand tender lets him  
eat an apple. But when Porthos goes for more, the food  
stand tender catches him and ushers him to the police.

 **91 INT: Mountain police station**

 **Gasson** **  
**...And I caught him steeling food again.

The police officer grabs him by his ear.

 **Policeman 1** **  
**Isn't this how your mother does it Porthos?

 **Porthos** **  
**Owe, yeah!

 **92 EXT: Outside police station on front porch**

They sit together on a bench.

 **Policeman 1** **  
**We'll just sit here and wait for your father to come by.

Porthos sits in a huff with his little arms crossed. The  
policeman goes to sleep. Porthos sneaks off.

 **88 EXT: Mountain – misc. path – sunny – cool – mid day**

Porthos is walking along when some of the not very nice  
boys from the village see him. One of the boys picks up a  
rock and bounces it off the side of Porthos' head.

 **Kelfine** **  
**You got him!

Porthos goes down. He starts to cry holding his head. The  
nasty group of boys, about five of them, run up and  
surround Porthos. They don't care if he's hurt. They  
dance around and tease him.

 **Kelfine** **  
**Hey Porthos, why are you not in school?

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Rubbing his head**_ _ **  
**_Hey Kelfine, why didn't you ever go to school?

Kelfine doesn't like this and tries to take a swing at Porthos.  
Porthos ducks and sets about to take all five boys.

 **(Choreograph)**

He outwits them and leaves them in a tangled mess. As he's  
leaving the boys the Policeman catches him. Holding him by  
his arm, the policeman escorts him home.

 **86 INT: Porthos home – main room**

A knock at the door. His mother opens it. Porthos and the  
policeman are standing there. All she can say is…

 **Mother Porthos** **  
**Porthos, not again.

 **86b INT: Porthos home – next day**

 **Father Porthos** **  
**Porthos, come here.

Porthos' mother and father are sitting at the table where they  
eat. He walks in and sits down. He knows he's in trouble.  
They don't look at him.

 **Porthos Father cont.** **  
**There is a school in the north of France. We've been thinking and…

 **Porthos** **  
**…Oh no, you're not sending me away to some prison school.

His mother and father just give each other a serious look.

 **93 EXT: Porthos home – out front – sunny - cool**

He runs out and right into the arms of an old crotchety man.  
Porthos' mother and father come out.

 **OLD SCHOOLMARM** **  
**Is this the boy?

 **Father Porthos** **  
**He is. He's a good boy he just…

 **Old Schoolmarm** **  
**…Sneaking away from school ey? I'll cure you of that.

The old schoolmarm takes Porthos across the country to a  
place in the far north mountains. The school is called the  
Paris School for Boys.

 **94 INT: Paris school for boys – early night - attic**

The boys that are there are all mean. Porthos is taken to  
the attic and chained in with some other boys.

 **Old Schoolmarm** **  
**You can just stay here until I think you're ready to come out!

The old man leaves. Porthos pulls a small pin-like object from  
his sleeve. It takes him about an hour but he finally jimmies  
the lock open. The other boys are looking at him.

He tosses the object to another boy and takes off.

 **95 EXT: Outside Paris school – night – mountainess – cool – very dark**

Porthos sneaks off going in the only direction he can see  
based on the moon.

 **96 EXT: Next day – country road – Morning – Sunny – cool**

Porthos is walking along when a man in a horse drawn  
buggy (Fancy) stops. A man sticks his head out the window.

 **BUGGY MAN** **  
**Young man, are you lost?

 **Porthos** **  
**Well, sort of.

 **Buggy Man** **  
** _ **Sticks his head in then comes back out**_ _ **  
**_Sort of, what does that mean? Where are you going?

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_Actually, I'm not going anywhere, just wherever I go I guess.

The man pops his head back in to council with the other rider. Then  
pops his head back out.

 **Buggy Man** **  
**We're going to Paris, would you like a ride?

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_I guess.

The door to the buggy opens and Porthos hops in.

 **97 INT: Inside the buggy**

Porthos looks at the two men. The Buggy man pops his  
head out and instructs the driver to drive on then pops back in.

 **Buggy man** **  
**I'm Paul De Vain and this is Sir Rally of Quintess.

Porthos nods his head to Sir Rally, Sir Rally smiles and nods  
back. He makes eye contact with the Buggy man.

 **Buggy man Cont.** **  
**What is your name?

 **Porthos** **  
**I am Porthos.

Sir Rally's eyes widen.

 **Buggy man** **  
**Porthos, Porthos what?

 **Porthos** **  
**Just Porthos.

 **SIR RALLY** **  
**What was your father's name?

 **Porthos** **  
**His name was Porthos also.

Now Sir Rally's eyes really open wide.

 **Sir Rally** **  
**What are you doing, why are you alone?

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Looks at the Buggy Man, the Buggy man approves**_ _ **  
**_I'm… I ran away from home.

 **Sir Rally** **  
**Why?

 **Porthos** **  
**Truth is sir, my mother and father wanted me to go to this  
boarding school, The Paris…

 **Sir Rally** **  
**…School For Boys.

 **Porthos** **  
**Well, yes sir.

Sir Rally looks at Buggy man.

 **Buggy man** **  
**We… don't like that school. The people that run it are…  
shall we say, not up to parr.

 **Porthos** **  
**They're idiots.

Sir Rally laughs a little.

 **Sir Rally** **  
**Would you like to come live with us for a while?

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_Do you have a lot to eat?

 **Buggy man** **  
**Plenty!

 **Porthos** **  
**Are you going to make me go to some stupid school?

 **Buggy man** **  
**No… but you will be taught at home, you will be educated.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_I guess.

 **Sir Rally** **  
**If you don't like it, you can just run away.

 **Porthos** **  
**True.

 **98 EXT: Sir rally's opulent home - Time passes – Porthos is older –** **  
** **outside on the padio**

Sir Rally is sparing with Porthos. Porthos is still a big  
bumbling fool but he's educated and has become an  
excellent swordsman.

 **Sir Rally** **  
** _ **As they duel**_ _ **  
**_Porthos, I don't remember, how old are you now?

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **As they duel**_ _ **  
**_I'm eighteen sir.

Sir Rally stops and salutes with his sword, then puts it  
away. Porthos does the same. Sir Rally puts his arm  
around Porthos' neck. He talks as they stroll.

 **Sir Rally** **  
**Porthos, I've been thinking, maybe it's time for you to… go out on  
your own.

 **Porthos** **  
**Are you trying to get rid of me?

 **Sir Rally** **  
**Yes, you eat too much.

The two laugh.

 **Sir Rally cont.** **  
**No Porthos, and before I go on, I want to tell you a story.

Porthos sits on a decorative rock in the yard.

 **Sir Rally cont.** **  
**Porthos, there was… once… a man. He was pretty smart and worked  
hard, so hard that he was hardly ever home.

He was so busy working at the lumber company that nothing else really  
mattered to him, not even his wife or the child she was about to have.

 **Porthos** **  
**Sounds like my father.

 **Sir Rally** **  
**Funny you should say that…  
 _ **Pause**_ _ **  
**_It is your father I speak of.

 **Porthos** **  
**What? My father?

 **Sir Rally** **  
**You father, is my brother.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Thinks, emotional**_ _ **  
**_That means, you…

 **Sir Rally** **  
**…I am your uncle.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Emotional**_ _ **  
**_Why didn't you tell me this?

 **Sir Rally** **  
**Your father and I… we don't get along very well. You see, I was  
given my father's inheritance when he died. Your father… was  
given the lumber factory.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Thinking**_ _ **  
**_It all makes sense now. He and my mother used to talk about…  
HIM. But they never said who HIM was.

 **Sir Rally** **  
**And now?

 **Porthos** **  
**I believe the HIM they were talking about was you.

 **Sir Rally** **  
**Probably.

 **Porthos** **  
**The way they talked about you. Forgive me but… it made me angry.

 **Sir Rally** **  
**Understandable.  
 _ **Pause**_ _ **  
**_…I offered to let your father, my brother, stay with me. He was so offended  
that our father, your grandfather, would give me all his wealth and leave your  
father with the factory, that he refused.

I often think that maybe, since my father was so successful that he wanted  
a true workhorse to take up the lumber factory.

 **Porthos** **  
**My… father?

 **Sir Rally** **  
**He made good money did he not?

 **Porthos** **  
**Is that why you want me to leave?

 **Sir Rally** **  
**No Porthos, in fact I feel as though you were the son I never had.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Emotional**_ _ **  
**_And you have been like the father I never had. I am grateful  
for everything… uncle.

 **Sir Rally** **  
** _ **Laugh's a little**_ _ **  
**_No Porthos, I presented you to the king and queen. If you want,  
you will be inducted into the Musketeers and trained.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_If I don't like it, can I run away?

 **Sir Rally** **  
** _ **Laughs**_ _ **  
**_No Porthos, if you join and don't like it, you must stay anyway. Eventually  
you can resign your commission but until then, the penalty for desertion  
is death.

 **Porthos** **  
**Can I think about it?

 **Sir Rally** **  
**Yes, but it is a great honor.

 **Porthos** **  
**Yes, I know. And actually I've thought a lot about it.

 **Sir Rally** **  
**Really.

 **Porthos** **  
**Yes, and I would be proud to become a musketeer. But I am fat, will  
they take me?

 **Sir Rally** **  
**I told them that you were… a bit overweight but I told them you  
were a great swordsman.

 **Porthos** **  
**Was that enough?

 **Sir Rally** **  
**Well, yes, sort of.

 **Porthos** **  
**Oh, well, when do I start?

 **Sir Rally** **  
**Next month. You have twenty-eight days.

(End Porthos' Story)NEXT SCENE:

Back to Reality.

 **Athos** **  
**Oh good god, Porthos is royalty?

D'Artagnan and the others run to the outside of the palace.

 **28\. EXT: Outside in the quad of the palace – their horses – mid day –** **  
** **sunny – somewhat warm**

They all mount horses and ride quickly to apprehend the queen.

 **82 INT: In the mean time – palace – main room**

The princess holds a dying Porthos' head in her hands.

 **Agnes** **  
**Porthos, you must not go, I love you.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **In dying words**_ _ **  
**_And I you my love. For I am to marry you.

 **Agnes** **  
**Then you must live, for we are both of royal blood now.

 **Porthos** **  
**Princess my love?

 **Agnes** **  
**Yes Porthos.

 **Porthos** **  
**The Cardinal Richelieu is behind you with a knife.

Agnes turns around. The Cardinal is about to thrust the knife  
into the princess when a hand catches the knife before it  
hits its mark.

 **Agnes** **  
** _ **Looks down**_ _ **  
**_Porthos?

The Cardinal struggles to break free of Porthos' powerful grip  
and finally does.

 **Cardinal** **  
**I will but for the queen for I love her. If I do this thing,  
she will love me back.

The cardinal grabs the princess. Unbenounced to both of them,  
Porthos has regained enough strength to catch the Cardinal off guard.

The Cardinal is able to stab Porthos. Porthos falls to the ground.  
The Cardinal still has the knife. He looks at Porthos and then  
runs towards the princess. She runs at him. The two  
struggle, the cardinal throws her to the ground. He is  
about to stab her when Porthos interferes again.

Porthos, standing, grabs the arm of the Cardinal. He and  
the Cardinal struggle. Even injured, Porthos is a great man.

Finally, Porthos has him. Porthos pulls the cardinals knife  
hand down and stabs him with his own knife. The  
Cardinal slowly falls to the ground. Porthos finally let's go.

Porthos falls backward and down. The princess is frantic.  
She tries to pull him to someone that can help but  
Porthos is heavy. Not a moment too soon, The Duke  
of Luynes comes in with a group of his men. He sees  
what is going on and instructs several of his men to assist.

 **Princess** **  
**You are…

 **DUKE** **  
**...The Duke of Luynes. I was to marry you and Porthos. I assume  
that was Porthos my men carried off?

 **Agnes** **  
**Yes.

 **Duke** **  
**He will be alright, we have good doctors and they are with us.

 **Agnes** **  
**I am grateful sir.

The Duke smiles.

 **99 EXT: Early evening – kings palace – clear – cool**

The queen and her entourage arrive at the King's palace. She  
climbs out of her carriage and starts up the stairs. A guard  
stops her. Then he realizes who she is. He bows.

 **KINGS GUARD 1** **  
**Malady, forgive me, I did not recognize you.

 **Queen** **  
**It is of no consequence.  
 _ **She turns to one of her guards and whispers**_ _ **  
**_Kill him.

As they are walking in, one of her soldiers kills the king's guard.

 **100 INT: Kings palace – thrown room**

The queen and her men barge in. The king is consoling with some  
of his advisors.

 **KING** **  
**What is this?  
 _ **Then he sees her**_ _ **  
**_What do you want?

The queen holds the letter of detent out to him.

 **Queen** **  
**By now, Porthos is dead. At my word, D'Artagnan will die. I need your  
signature on this paper.

 **King** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_Why should I believe you? You are a lying bitch.

 **Queen** **  
**Very well.  
 _ **She turns to one of her guards**_ _ **  
**_Send word…

 **King** **  
**Wait…

The guard holds. She turns back to him with an evil smile.

 **King cont.** **  
**Porthos is dead?

 **Queen** **  
**Yes, he tried to escape and my men shot him.

 **King** **  
**And D'Artagnan…

 **Queen** **  
**Captured, and at my word he is to be guillotined.

 **King** **  
**…And you would set him free if I sign this?

 **Queen** **  
**No, but I would not kill him.

 **King** **  
** _ **Thinks**_ _ **  
**_Ok.

One of his advisors tries to stop him. The king stops the  
advisor. He is ready to sign and seal the letter when…  
…Someone swings in swoops across the table and cuts  
the paper in half. The swinging man lands on the balcony  
above.

Athos and Aramis run in and dispatch the rest of the queen's  
guards that are present. The king looks up.

 **King** **  
**D'Artagnan!

D'Artagnan swings back down and lands in front of the king.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Sir, if you sign that, she will own enough land that she would be  
the ruler of France.

 **King** **  
** _ **Looks at the queen**_ _ **  
**_I thought you said D'Artagnan was…

 **Queen** **  
**I lied.

She runs for the door. She goes outside only to see that  
her army is at war with the musketeer army. Though the  
queen's army outnumbers the musketeers two to one.

 **(Choreograph)**

 **Long fight:**

She turns but only to face D'Artagnan himself. She tries to run  
but D'Artagnan catches her. Several of her soldiers run up  
the steps to assist her. But as soon as they get to the queen  
and D'Artagnan the other two musketeers come out and join  
the fight. The king has his some of his men to subdue the queen.

The fight is ferocious. Some of the musketeers are killed as well.  
Then the Kings army joins the fight and the queen's army is  
all but decimated leaving only a small contingent behind.

Some of the king's guards holding the queen aren't paying  
attention and the queen wriggles lose. She runs, mounts  
a horse and takes off.

 **King** **  
**Let her go.

 **D'Artagnan** **  
**Porthos is at the palace, the queen might have him killed.

D'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers mount horses and ride  
off after the queen.

 **28 EXT: Queens palace – day – cool – clear**

The queen rides up. A boarder takes the horse. The queen  
runs in. Another guard meets her in the main hall of the palace.

 **82 INT: Palace – main hall**

 **GUARD Z** **  
**Your majesty, I…

 **Queen** **  
**…Where is Porthos?

 **Guard Z** **  
**He is in the infirmary but…

The queen takes off for the infirmary.

 **83 INT: Palace – misc corridor**

The queen runs into La Shu, the murderous gang leader.  
His entire gang of 80 men are with him.

 **La Shu** **  
**Malady.

 **Queen** **  
**Come, Porthos is in the infirmary. He has to be killed.

La Shu instructs his men to follow. They head out of the  
palace to the royal infirmary.

 **101 INT: Royal infirmary**

When they arrive, no one is there. Porthos' bed is disheveled  
but he is gone. As they run back outside…

 **102 EXT: Royal Infirmary**

They see the doctor standing with several of The Duke of  
Luynes men. They draw swords. La Shu's men draw swords,  
the fight is on.

 **103 INT: Misc Palace room – corridor**

The queen is trying to stay out of the way. She edges  
along the wall toward one of the entries to her palace  
when she sees Lady de Winter come through the door.

She starts to edge the other way when she sees her  
daughter, the princess come through the other door followed  
by Porthos. One of the men from La Shu's gang attacks Porthos.  
Porthos is armed and steps into the Frey.

The queen sees her chance, she starts to head toward the  
door where her daughter is. Her daughter stands there as if  
she isn't going to move. The queen gets into a pushing match  
with her daughter who didn't like being locked up.

The queen gets her daughter down on the ground and pulls  
a knife. She is about to stab her own daughter when  
someone from behind, stabs the queen.

When the queen falls dead, Lady de Winter is behind  
her. The princess smiles, Lady de Winter smiles back  
and helps the princess up.

In the mean time, La Shu and some of his men try to escape  
out the front of the palace. But they are trapped when the other  
Three musketeers show up. The battle is on now with them.

They easily mop up, with the help of Porthos who comes  
from behind to assist. D'Artagnan is dueling with La Shu  
but runs him through in the end.

The fight is over. Some of the Dukes men were killed  
but they dispatched La Shu's gang.

 **104 EXT: Palace – King's court**

The queens army in formation on one side and the  
musketeers on the other. The king rides through on his  
horse flanked by two of his advisors. As they ride by,  
everyone bows.

They ride to the podium, the King dismounts and walks up  
to speak. The Three Musketeers are in formation with the  
rest of the Musketeers and D'Artagnan is out front as their  
captain.

 **King** **  
**My friends and countrymen, it was a close call. The queen might  
have been the supreme ruler of France was it not for the gallant efforts  
of the musketeers. The queen's army is now the king's army.

The army cheers.

 **King cont.** **  
** _ **He looks at Porthos**_ _ **  
**_Porthos, come forward.

Porthos looks at his friends, then formally walks  
forward, gets to the king and bows.

 **King Cont.** **  
**Rise Sir Porthos.

Porthos stands.

 **King Cont.** **  
**Porthos, you have inherited a great portion of the country of France.  
Soon you shall be its leader. And I shall be proud to descend the  
thrown for you.

All cheer.

 **Porthos** **  
** _ **Once the noise settles**_ _ **  
**_Great King, I am a musketeer. I have no knowledge  
of ruling a country.

He reaches into his coat and pulls out the letter of  
detent that the queen had.

 **Porthos cont.** **  
**This is the letter of detent. I give it to you sir, with one request.

 **King** **  
**Anything Sir Porthos

 **Porthos** **  
**That you strive to end Privilege in France.

 **King** **  
**It shall be my main motivation as King.

Porthos signs the paper over to the king and hands it to him.

 **Porthos** **  
**I relinquish all this land to you my lord. And you can count on the  
musketeers to defend it, hand and foot.

All cheer.

 **Fade out slowly:**

 **76 INT: D'Artagnans hidden cottage**

D'Artagnan is with the Lady de Winter. They are in  
bed and commence to make love.

 **104 INT: Palace – kings court**

Porthos is getting married to Agnes. The room is full  
with people.

 **End movie:**


End file.
